The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-10-22
SOIL SURVEY OF THIS
PART OF State IS MADE.
report OF Government Bureau En-
phasizes Importance of Utilizing
Ground More Generally for Truck
ing Crops

washington, d. c., Oct 22.-The
Importance of utilizing more generally
me soils for trucking crops is empba.
sized IN the report on the Reconnois.
sanee Soil Survey of Soutbeastern
Pennsylvania made by the Burean os
Soils, I. $. Department of Agriculture
IN cooperation with the State ColIeue
iartieularly is this true in the vicinity
or large cities and mining towns ana
there are excellent opportunities for ex.
tending the industry all along the limo
lhe river bottom and terrace soils aIong
the Snsquehanna and Delaware rivers
are especially adapted to trucking and
gardening. """
me survey was made for the nur.
pose of classifying the different soils
OF the region and to show IN what
crops they are best adapted and what
agricultural methods should he em.
Pioyed' The report is accompanied nv a
map IN colors showing the location and
extent of the different types of the
uhftv-three series of soils found during
the survey,
Daurhin County Is Included
Inc area surveyed covers the nine
Veen counties of Southeastern Pennsvl.
Vania' including Northumberland. Mon
tour, Columbia, Suzerne, Monroe Car.
bon, Schnyllill, Dauphin, Lebanon.
perks, Lehigh, Northampton, Bucks
Montgomery, Philadelphia. Delaware
chester, Lancaster and York. with a
tota area of 10,254 square miles.
Corn is an important crop over the
entife area, the yield varying greatly.
Wheat is also grown generally. with
Vhe Hagerstown soils in the limestone
valleys giving the highest yields of
thirty bushels per acre.
Potatoes are grown on nearly ev.
cry farm IN the area, but only on the
berks soils of Northampton and Lehiph
counties and in some regions on the
ohester soils is this crop an important
step In the rotations item OF in the farm
income. Usually only about enough land
is devoted to the crop for home use
and possibly to supply the local market.
In Chester county potatoes form an i'm
portant part of the farm products Pc.
tatoes are generally we'll fertilized INIT
greater diligence in tilling and careful
spraying will serve to materially in.
crease the returns.
Tobacco is a very important crop ON
Ghe Hagerstown and Conestoga soils in
Lancaster and York counties, and is
grown TO some extent in Chester, beb-
anon, Berks and Dauphin counties
While alfalfa is grown to some ex.
tent In every county, the acreage is
low On well-drained soils two or three
cuttings are obtained, giving an an.
| nual yield of from three to five tons
per acre. The products of the dairies
of the region form very large part
of the cash sales made on the farms.
Fruit growing is being developed on
the Dekalb soils of the section, good
results being obtained. With care and
fertilization these soils should give
good results with this industry.
The shale, silt loan and loan of the
Dekalb series are devoted to general
crops with good yields, corn averaging
about so bushels, oats 40, wheat 20
and potatoes 100 bushels per acre. The
soils are generally deficient in lime and
respond to applications of manure and
the blowing under of green crops.
The Berks soils mapped during the
survey are devoted to the general farm
crops of the region. Fruit is grown
to considerable extent, apples and
peaches doing we'll
Hagerstown Loan Strongest
The !Hagerstown loam is considered
the strongest and most productive soil
| of the area. It is devoted mainly to
general farm crops. Corn averages so
bushels, oats As bushels, wheat 25
bushels and hay one and one4half tons
per acre.
Lime is needed to obtain the best
| results with the Conestoga loam Crop
yields are high on this soil, corn aver
aging from so to 60 bushels, wheat 25
to 30 bushels and oats 35 to so bushels
per acre.
The Chester soils of the section are
the most important and extensive series
of the Piedmont region of the State.
They are extensively and typically de-
veloped in Chester and Delaware coun-
ties Drainage conditions are USUALLY
good They are well adapted to gen
eral farming and to dairying and give
good results with potatoes and fruit,
especially apples
The Penn soils are well adapted to
general farm crops, yields on the loan
being: Corn 100 bushels, oats so
bushels, wheat 20 bushels, rye %
bushels, hay Ks tons and potatoes so
bushels per acre.