SOILS OF EASTERN VIRGINIA. 69 
Both areas receive an adequate amount of precipitation ranging 
from 40 to 50 inches a year. It is usually well distributed. The 
Norfolk district has a growing season between killing frosts of 230 
days. The southern portion of the Eastern Shore district has a 
growing season of 210 to 220 days, while the remainder of the dis- 
trict has a growing season of 185 to 210 days. Close proximity to 
large bodies of tidewater results in favorable climatic conditions in 
both districts. The Norfolk district constitutes the most northern 
of the year-round trucking districts. 
Shipments of truck crops are made from each district to all of the 
larger northern and northeastern cities and even to Canada. Both 
rail and water transportation are employed. Shipments are largely 
made through truckers' associations. 
The trucking business is chiefly carried on by native white farmers 
with negro laborers. 
The entire region is marked by low relief, rising not more than 
50 feet above tide level. There are no great irregularities of surface, 
very little erosion, and the land is drained chiefly through deep-cut 
estuaries and small upland streams. Broad undrained areas exist 
upon the uplands between the more pronounced drainage ways. 
The soils of the region are derived from the unconsolidated deposits 
of the Atlantic Coastal Plain and range in texture from sands and 
coarse sandy loams to rather heavy loams. Sandy loams and fine 
sandy loams predominate, constituting the chief areas used for 
intensive agricultural occupation. The different soil series follow 
natural drainage conditions rather closely in their distribution. 
Soils of the Sassafras and Norfolk series are well drained and occupy 
low ridges or areas near the main drainage ways. Soils of the Key- 
port series are fairly well drained and are found on level or gently 
sloping uplands. Soils of the Elk ton and Suffolk series occupy 
broad flat areas on the uplands more remote from established drain- 
age and are found also in basin-shaped areas around stream heads. 
Soils of the Portsmouth series, marked by surface accumulations 
of dark-colored organic matter, occur in upland swamps and along 
wet stream margins. Some areas have been artificially drained. 
Tidal marsh and dunes and are not occupied agriculturally. 
Soil and crop maps were made of three areas. The Churchland 
area, representing conditions between the Elizabeth and Nansemond 
Rivers; the Diamond vSprings area, representing those between 
Elizabeth River and the Atlantic Ocean; and the Onley area, repre- 
senting conditions in the central portion of the Eastern Shore of 
Virginia. Both- spring and fall crop maps were made to show the 
year-round crop occupation of the different soils. 
