I 
SOIL SURVEY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, FLORIDA. 283 
Areas of this type are scattered throughout the county, the 
largest lying around Raiford and extending east to the county line. 
Another large area lies south of Starke. The type occupies poorly 
drained, flat, or depressed areas, usually without sufficient slope or 
drainage outlet for the establishment of good drainage. Irregular¬ 
shaped “bays” arid “cypress ponds” are common throughout the 
type. A part of the type occupies long, gentle slopes where the 
fall is sufficient to make artificial drainage, by means of extensive 
systems of ditching, practicable. 
Unless artificially drained much of the type is too wet for farm¬ 
ing, and consequently a large part of it is unimproved. The forest 
growth consists largely of pine. Most of the marketable timber 
has been or is being removed, while practically all of the remainder 
is “boxed 1 ” for turpentine. The gallberry and wire grass grow pro¬ 
fusely. 
When properly drained the Portsmouth fine sandy loam is capa¬ 
ble of producing good yields of either the staple crops or such 
special crops as strawberries, Irish potatoes, lettuce, tomatoes, egg¬ 
plant, cauliflower, and celery. Between Lawtey and Raiford the 
type is used extensively for strawberries. The plants are set in beds, 
which are thrown up a foot or more above the general level of the 
field in order to protect the roots from excessive moisture. While 
the berries do well with proper fertilization and cultivation, they are 
slightly later than those grown upon the warmer and better drained 
soils. This is true in the case of practically all crops grown. 
This soil is also used successfully in the production of Irish po¬ 
tatoes and tomatoes. Corn averages about 15 bushels and cotton 
about one-fifth bale per acre. The chief deficiency of the type is 
lack of drainage, and where ditching is not practical the bed or ridge 
method of cultivation is necessary. In places the beds are laid off 
so as to accommodate four to six or more rows of corn or cotton. 
This type is a stronger soil than the Portsmouth fine sand, and 
equally good results are obtained with lighter applications of com¬ 
mercial fertilizers. The Portsmouth fine sandy loam is also easier 
to improve and is more resistant to drought than the Portsmouth 
fine sand. The type in its natural condition is slightly acid and, 
like many other poorly drained black soils, needs lime. 
Prices for land of this type range from $8 to $15 an acre, ac¬ 
cording to location. 
