SOIL SURVEY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, FLORIDA. 263 
is most productive on the Norfolk soils in the western and south¬ 
western parts of the county. 
' No system of rotation is practiced wherein cotton has a place, 
and consequently the soils are not being improved. Large applica¬ 
tions of fertilizers containing about io per cent of phosphoric acid, 
2 per cent nitrogen, and 3 per cent potash are used. After cotton 
has followed cotton for a number of years, the land is usually put 
in corn for an equal period, or corn and cotton are grown alternately. 
When cotton follows corn, the crop does best where the soil is not 
disturbed below the depth of planting. The hot winds and heavy 
rains in July are considered the most harmful incidents in cotton 
production. These, it is claimed, cause the cotton to shed a portion 
of the young bolls, and no fertilization or cultural method has been 
found to enable the plant to avoid this loss. Cotton is usually 
planted between March 15 and April 1. The scarcity of labor and 
the high price demanded for picking are serious obstacles to cotton 
production in the county. 
Cowpeas, velvet beans, and peanuts are grown extensively for 
forage. One or two* of these legumes is usually planted in corn for 
use as pasture after the corn has been harvested. In this way a 
large amount of feed is secured for cattle and hogs during the late 
fall and early winter. Cowpeas and velvet beans are also grown for 
hay, and both make a luxuriant growth, though difficulty is often 
encountered in curing* the pea-vine hay. The velvet beans make a 
more certain crop, and the vines are more easily cured. Peanuts 
are grown largely for hog feed or to be plowed under. The planting 
of a legume in corn after the last cultivation is not generally success¬ 
ful, and a more common and surer method is to plant such a crop 
with the corn. One plan that has been found profitable is to plant 
the corn in rows about 9 feet apart, with a row of peanuts between 
the corn rows. Among the peanuts velvet beans are planted in hills 
6 feet apart in the row. After the corn is harvested a heavy growth 
of beans and peanuts furnishes an abundance of good feed for fat¬ 
tening cattle and hogs. 
Oats are grown extensively in the county, largely for hay. 
Where allowed to ripen the yield of grain is about 15 bushels per 
acre. Various cultural methods are practiced. On wet areas the 
oats are sometimes drilled in rows, which are slightly ridged to af¬ 
ford better surface drainage. Sometimes they are spwn broadcast 
on beds which rise above the general level of the field. On the 
