UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BULLETIN No. 1005 
Contribution from the Bureau of Soils 
MILTON WHITNEY, Chief 
Washington, D. C. 
April 24, 1922 
SOILS OF EASTERN VIRGINIA AND THEIR USES 
FOR TRUCK CROP PRODUCTION. 
By J. A. BoNSTEEL, Scientist in Soil Survey. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Introduction 1 
The Norfolk trucking district 2 
Churchland area 9 
Diamond Springs area .• 18 
Soil preferences expressed by farmers 32 
General conclusions 38 
Page. 
The Eastern Shore trucking district of Vir- 
ginia 43 
Onley area 48 
Soil preferences expressed by farmers 59 
Relationship between special crops and defi- 
nite soil types 64 
General summary 68 
INTRODUCTION. 
Two distinct and separate localities in eastern Virginia have been 
developed for the production of special vegetable crops for shipment 
to outside markets and commonly known as truck crops. 
The first and oldest of these, the Norfolk district, lies to the south 
of the James River, eastward from the vicinity of Suffolk to the At- 
lantic Ocean. The other, the Eastern Shore district, of more recent 
development, occupies a large proportion of Accomac and North- 
ampton, the two Eastern Shore counties of Virginia. The two dis- 
tricts are separated by the lower stretches of Chesapeake Bay and 
present certain distinctive natural aspects. They possess the com- 
mon characteristics of being located in close proximity to tidewater, 
of lying at low elevations which range from sea level to extreme 
altitudes of about 50 feet above tide with the greater part of the 
total land surface at elevations of 15 to 40 feet, of being well located 
with respect to shipping facilities, and of experiencing a long growing 
season. 
Since the two districts differ in detail in regard to certain of these 
factors, it is necessary to describe them separately. 
61681°— 22— Bull. 1005 1 
