About 20 percent of the area is cropland, and about 1 to 4 percent is pasture. The proportion of cropland is somewhat higher in the north and is considerably lower in Florida. Vegetable crops, fruits, melons, sweetpotatoes, and Irish potatoes are important crops. There are large acreages of corn, soybeans, wheat, and tobacco. Some peanuts are grown on the sandy soils in Virginia and in Georgia.
Poultry farming is an important enterprise in the north and in some parts of Florida.
Some short steep slopes border the stream valleys. The area is crossed by many broad shallow valleys that have widely meandering stream channels. Average annual precipitation -1,025 to 1,400 mm. Maximum precipitation is in summer. Rainfall, perennial streams, and ground water provide an abundance of water.