The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-06-11
Soil Expert Recently Made Trip
Through the South.
PREPARING SPECIAL REPORT
DR.. BonsteeI Found Land in Vicinity Of
Savannah. a. Adaptable TO- Truck
Growing as Other Sections.

washington, ID. C.-Dr. y. A. 6oAl
steel Of the bureau of sofl. United
States department OF agriculture. has
just returned to Washington from an
extended tour Of the south, which was
for the purpose Of Investigating the
adaptability Of different types oE soil
for certain kinds of crops, especially
winter and early spring vegetables
DR.. Bonsteel is enthusiastic over the
results Of his trip and is preparing
a special report. When seen DR.. Bon
steel said: US
THE first trip was to the city OF
Savannah, in order to investigate the
possibility Of developing the land OF
Chatham county in and around the
CITY OF Savannah for an extensive
trucking industry. / found there the
same types of soil which have made
Norfolk, a., NeWbern and Whining
ton, N. c., and Charleston, s. g., IA
nous centers for the production Of a
great quantity Of winter and early
spring truck crops. OF great import
anee In this connection, also, IS the
fact that all of the lower lying land
ofsthe vicinity of Savannah Is so sit
uated that Artesian water in large
quantities is easily gbtainabIe, and
could be used on soils of the Ports
mouth series for the irrigation Of eel
cry. This one fact will enable truck
growers in the vicinity Of Savannah
to compete favorably with the Florida
celery growers in the production OF
this important and valuable truck
crop. Celery, when properly irrigat-
cd and otherwise handled, produces
from $1,000 to $1,000 worth OF the,
plant to the acre, and is one Of the
most valuable trucking crops which
can be produced anywhere. In addi-
ton the Norfolk fine sand, which ex
lists in profusion in the immediate vi
cinitysof Savannah, is one Of the best
soils along the Atlantic coast for the
productions of early Irish potatoes, to-
matoes, sugar corn, green peas, ex-
ira early strawberries and a consid-
cradle variety of minor trucking
crops. In my opinion, so far as soil
and climate are concerned, there
would be absolutely nothing to stand
in the way OF the development OF
thousands Of acres Of truck gardens IN
the vicinity of Savannah.
"From Savannah / went to Barnes
vile and Pike county, Georgia, where
a soil survey party Of the bureau OF
soils is investigating the soils condi-
lions Of that county l found q con-
siderable variety Of soils, particular
" those of the Cecil series, which
occupy practically all Of the Pied
mont section Of Georgia; investigated
~. lraA xyh nj ID
ing around GAINESVILLE, and also saw
the pecan groves and nurseries, which
have been started in the vicinity OF
GAINESVILLE by some of the enterpris-
ing citizens Of that section. Contrary
to the usual belief, that pecan culture
is practically confined to the coast
section Of the United States, found
that excellent results, and early ma
t0rity Of trees were obtained on the
Cecil sandy loan In the immediate
vicinity Of GAINESVILLE, and at few
other points in Pike county This is
practically a new industry for the
Piedmont section of the United States
and the profitable development OF
these groves will undoubtedly be
watched with a great deal of interest
on the part of all horticulturists and
nut growers. The prospects so far
are excellent for the development of
the pecan industry as high grade
of agriculture in Central and West
Georgia.
Il also visited some of the soil sur
Yey parties working in Alabama, and
held conference with Commissioner
of Agriculture j. A. Wilkinson in re-
gard to future operations in the state.
The state Of Alabama is expanding
$4,000 annually in corporations with
the bureau of soils, which is expend-
ing a like amount in the completion
Of soil survey work in the state Of
Alabama. This cooperation has been
in effect less than two years, but by
January 1, 1910, a larger area of soil
survey work will have been complet-
ed in Alabama than in any other
state in the United States. Four soil
survey parties are at present engaged
in the work in Alabama, and surveys
are in progress in Tallapoosa, Coffee,
Baldwin and Hale counties. The work
i'm at least three Of these counties
will be completed during July or early
in August, and additional work will
then be taken up in the north central
portion Of the state. The soil sur,