U. S. DEPARTMENT OR _AGRICULAIGRE,
BUREAU OF SOILS—MILTON WHITNEY=tmet

IN COOPERATION WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
W. A. GRAHAM, COMMISSIONER; B. W. KILGORE, STATE CHEMIST.

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY,
NORTH CAROLINA.

W,. EDWARD HEARN, R, B. HARDISON, anp
J.W. NELSON, or rue U.S. DepartMENt oF
AGRICULTURE, AND FRANK P. DRANE,
oF THE NortH CAROLINA Depart
MENT OF AGRICULTURE.

[Advance Sheets—Field Operations of the Bureau of Soils, 1909.]

WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICH,
1910.

 
[PusLic Rrsotutrion—No. 9.]

JOINT RESOLUTION Amending public resolution numbered eight, Fifty-sixth Congress,
second session, approved February twenty-third, nineteen hundred and one, “ providing
for the printing annually of the report on field operations of the Division of Soils,
Department of Agriculture.”

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States
of America in Congress assembled, That publie resolution tiumbered eight, Fifty-
sixth Congress, second session, approved February twenty-third, nineteen hun-
dred and one, be amended by striking out all after the resolving clause and
inserting in lieu thereof the following:

“That there shall be printed ten thousand five hundred copies of the report on
field operations of the Division of Soils, Department of Agriculture, of which
one thousand five hundred copies shall be for the use of the Senate, three
thousand copies for the use of the House of Representatives, and six thousand
copies for the use of the Department of Agriculture: Provided, That in addi-
tion to the number of copies above provided for there shall be printed, as soon
as the manuscript can be prepared, with the necessary maps and illustrations to
accompany it, a report on each area surveyed, in the form of adyance sheets,
bound in paper covers, of which five hundred copies shall be for the use of each
Senator from the State, two thousand copies for the use of each Representative
for the Congressional district or districts in which the survey is made, and one
thousand copies for the use of the Department of Agriculture.”

Approved, March 14, 1904.

[On July 1, 1901, the Division of Soils was reorganized as the Bureau of Soils.]

 

Iusned May 28, 1910.
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
BUREAU OF SOILS—MILTON WHITNEY, Chief.

IN COOPERATION WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
W. A. GRAHAM, COMMISSIONER; B. W. KILGORE, STATE CHEMIST.

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY,
NORTH CAROLINA.

BY

W. EDWARD HEARN, R. B. HARDISON, anp
J. W. NELSON, or rue U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE, AND FRANK P. DRANE,
oF THE Norru CArRouINA DEPART-

MENT OF AGRICULTURE.

[Advance Sheets—Field Operations of the Bureau of Soils, 1909.]

WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

191.0.

 
CONTENTS.
Page.
Sor Survey or Pirr County, Norrn Carona. By W. Epwarp Hzarvy,
R. B. Harpison, and J. W. Newson, or THE U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRI-
CULTURE, and FrAnK P. Dranr, or tor NortH CARoLINA DEPARTMENT

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

U.S. Derarrmentr or AGRICULTURE,
3UREAU OF SOILS,
Washington, D. C., December 2, 1909.

Sir: In following up the cooperative work between the North
Carolina State Department of Agriculture and this Bureau in making
a soil survey of North Carolina one of the projects selected for work
during the field season of 1909 was Pitt County. The selection of
this area was urged particularly by the Hon. John H. Small, within
whose district Pitt County lies.

[ have the honor to transmit herewith the completed manuscript
report and map covering this work and to recommend their’ publi-
cation as advance sheets of Field Operations of the Bureau of Soils
for 1909, as authorized by law.

Very respectfully, Minton Wuirtney,
Chief of Bureau.

 

Hon. James WIxson,

Secretary of Agriculture. ILLUSTRATIONS.

FIGURE.
* Page.
Fic. 1. Sketch map showing location of the Pitt County area, North Carolina. 5
MAP.

Soil map, Pitt County sheet, North Carolina.

 
SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA.

By W. EDWARD HEARN, R. B. HARDISON, and J. W. NELSON, of the
U. S. Department of Agriculture, and FRANK P. DRANE, of the North Carolina
Department of Agriculture.

DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA.

Pitt County lies in the central-eastern part of the State of North
Carolina. It is included between 77° and 78° west longitude and
35° and 36° north latitude. The center of the county is about 85
miles east of Raleigh and 120 miles southwest of Norfolk, Va. Pitt
County is bounded on the north by Martin and Edgecombe counties,

 

YG:

SAT
Sag

rigs + Vitte fe

KE. a TAY,

oO

 

 

Fic. 1.—Sketch map showing location of the Pitt County area, North Carolina.

on the west by Greene and Wilson counties, on the south by Lenoir
and Craven counties, and on the east by Beaufort County. Its
greatest length from north to south is about 34 miles and its greatest
width from east to west is about 35 miles. In many places the
boundary line is somewhat irregular, following, as it does, the stream
courses. In area the county comprises 416,000 acres, or 650 square
miles.

The general surface features of the county consist of broad, level
table-lands and gently rolling to rolling areas, with intervening low,

vo

 
 

6 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1909.

swampy land. The more rolling areas occur adjacent to the swamps
along the small streams and along Little Contentnea Creek, near
Grifton, and on the bluff line on the south side of Tar River. Some
of the large and level areas of table-land are prominent around Frog
Level, north of Arthur, around California, north of Kings Cross-
roads, north of Coxville, east of Shelmerdine, north of Pactolus, and
along the eastern border of the county in Chicod Township. The
largest level upland area is the Grindle Pocoson, which extends from
just southwest of Bethel to Staton, embracing about 40 square miles.
Most of the surface of the county, however, is level to undulating,
which becomes gently rolling to rolling as the streams and swamps
are approached. It lies beautifully for general farming purposes.
The slope of the county is to the east and southeast. The eleva-
tion at various points will reveal the general surface conditions. The
highest point in the county is 121 feet on the western border just
north of Fountain, while the lowest place is practically at sea level
at the confluence of Tranters Creek and Tar River, on the east edge
of the county. The elevation at Farmville is about 85 feet above sea
level; at Bethel, 70 feet; at Greenville, 65 feet; at Winterville, 70
feet; at Ayden, 60 feet; at Grifton, 30 feet; at Shelmerdine, 40 feet ;
at Grimesland, 50 feet; and at Pactolus, 20 feet. The swamp areas
along Tar River, Swift Creek, and Clayroot Swamp vary from near
sea level to about 20 feet.
Pitt County in all sections is supplied with a sufficient number of

streams to furnish good drainage outlets for most of the land. The

Tar River fiows across the county in a general southeasterly direc-
tion. This river with its main tributaries, Grindle, Conetoe, Otter,
Tyson, Johnsons Mill Run, Tranters, and Chicod creeks, drains all
the northern and most of the central part of the county. Little Con-
tentnea and Swift creeks and Clayroot Swamp furnish good drain-
age for the southwestern and southern parts. Many of the streams
are sluggish. Across some of them dams have been constructed to
provide power for gristmills.

Pitt County has been settled since 1714. Its inhabitants are mainly
of English descent, though a few are of Scotch descent. Some people
have moved into the county from Virginia and others from points
in the central part of the State. According to the Twelfth Census
the population in 1900 was 30,889, about one-half of which was
colored. In all the important towns and throughout the rural dis-
tricts the population has increased considerably within the last
decade. Though the county is fairly well settled, there is still much
cleared land which is not being utilized. There are bodies of gently
rolling, cut-over uplands or pine forests which could very easily be
brought under cultivation. In addition to these are the large pocoson
areas, particularly the Grindle Pocoson, which can be drained and

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 7

reclaimed and brought under cultivation. All of the land in Pitt
County, except some of the lower lying swamps, can be reclaimed and

cultivated. The county could easily support a much larger popu-
lation from the products of its soils. It possesses a variety of soils
which are well suited to a large number of crops.

Greenville, the county seat, with a population of about 5,000,
situated near the center of the county, on the Tar River, is the largest
town. It has made rapid progress and improvements in the last few
years, evidences of which are seen in paved streets, electric lights,

waterworks, manufacturing enterprises, enlarged school facilities,
handsome churches, and many beautiful homes. The location here
of the East Carolina Teachers’ Training School, which is under state
control, gives this progressive town special prominence in the eastern
half of the State. Ayden, Farmville, Bethel, Grifton, Winterville,
and Grimesland are prosperous and important business towns. Next
in importance are Falkland, Fountain, Pactolus, and Shelmerdine.
There are many stations and sidings along the railroads where freight
is unloaded and farm products shipped.

The county is well supplied with transportation facilities. The
Norfolk and Southern Railroad crosses the county in an east and
west direction. 'The Kinston and Weldon branch of the Atlantic
Coast Line Railroad passes through the center of the county from
north to south; a branch of the same system crosses the northern
end of the county by Bethel, and another branch goes from Parmele
to Washington by Pactolus. The East Carolina Railroad crosses the
western part of the county. The Tar River is navigable for steam-
boats.a good part of the year, and until the advent of the railroads
regular boat lines were operated thereon. Some freight, especially
fertilizer, cotton, and lumber, is carried to and from all points on the
river. The deep water extends as high up as Grimesland wharves,
opposite Grimesland, and boats can make regular trips at all seasons
of the year from Grimesland to Washington, N. C., and to Norfolk,
Va. About one-half of the lumber and fertilizer is barged to and
from the Grimesland wharves. Schooners have gone from this point
to New England towns carrying meat, corn, and lumber.

The dirt roads in the county are in good condition most of the
time on the heavier soils, but over the more sandy areas they are
heavy, especially in dry weather, on account of the sand working up
deeply in the road. A few miles of sand-clay road have been built,
and this work should be extended throughout the county. It is not
an expensive road and its durability is well recognized. From the
experiment already made the people are becoming more interested
in better roads, and it is believed that within a few years great im-
provement will be noted in this respect.

 
 

 

FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1909.

The rural free delivery of mail is operated throughout the county,
telephone lines have been constructed, and commodious schoolhouses
and churches have been built at convenient points in the rural districts.
The stock law, requiring fenced pastures for stock, extends over about
one-third of the county. The farmers as a rule have been enjoying an
era of prosperity. Land values have increased greatly within the
last few years. The high price of cotton and good average prices of
tobacco have enabled many farmers who were handicapped with
mortgage and other indebtedness to meet their obligations and estab-
lish themselves on a substantial basis.

Greenville is the principal market in the county for tobacco, cot-
ton, and peanuts. Several tobacco warehouses are operated there, and
between 12 and 15 million pounds of tobacco and about 15,000 bales
of cotton are annually sold. It is one of the largest tobacco markets
in the State. Considerable tobacco is also sold at Farmville and
Ayden, where warehouses are operated. These and the other towns
in the county are markets for cotton and other farm products. Irish
potatoes are shipped mostly to the northern markets—New York,
Pittsburg, Boston—and other points. The trucking industry will be
more extensively developed in the future.

CLIMATE.

The climate of Pitt County is similar to that of the Middle Atlantic
Coastal Plain areas, having short winters and long, warm summers
with much rainfall. Outdoor farm work can be done comfortably
the year round. The prevailing winter winds are from the north-
west and northeast, while the summer winds are from the southwest.
Light snowfalls occur almost every winter, but soon melt. The
humidity for the area is relatively high.

There is no Weather Bureau station in this county, but the figures
in the appended table for the station at Tarboro, in the adjoining
county of Edgecombe, are approximately correct for this area. The
mean seasonal temperature for a period of over ten years is as fol-
lows: Winter 42°, spring 60°, summer 78°, and fall 61° F. The hot-
test day recorded in any year was 106° in September and the coldest
—2° in February. Crops seldom suffer from drought, but damage
is sometimes done by too much rain.

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 9

The following table contains climatic data compiled from records
Ss
of the Weather Bureau station at Tarboro:

Normal monthly, seasonal, and annual temperature and precipitation, etc., at
Tarboro,

Temperature. Precipitation.

Total | Total
M h. | 1
Month pein (Ry te Mhankiite amount | amount | Snow,
maximum.|minimum.| Mean. for the | for the | average
| driest wettest | depth.
year. | year.

 

Inches. Inches. Inches. | Inches.
December ym 4: 3 7 3.6 3.2 3.8 7:7
January 4 8 4.0 4.4 3.6 1.9
February 5 5 - 4 . 5.4 3.6

 

Winter 42 | .6 3.0 11.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

September
October

 

 

70. §
The average date of last killing frost in spring is April 11, and of the first in the fall
October 28,

AGRICULTURE.

Pitt County, or the present area included in it, had its first settle-
ment nearly two hundred years ago. Its agricultural products of
to-day are quite different from those of seventy or one hundred years
ago, or even just prior to the civil war. The first crops were corn,
wheat, and oats, and considerable stock was raised. At a later time
some cotton was planted. The lint was picked from the seed by
hand. Many hogs and cattle were raised to supply meat for home
consumption. About 1850 much cotton was produced. Sheep were
raised and wool was shorn. Wheat production continued to a con-
siderable extent until about twenty years ago, but since that time
the acreage has been gradually reduced. The turpentine industry
flourished and furnished a revenue before the timber was cut. Until
recent years quite a number of fisheries were in operation between

Greenville and Washington. Immediately following the war cotton
20229—10 2

 
 

 

 

 

 

10 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1909.

became the money crop. In 1880, according to the census reports,
the principal crops were cotton, 15,000 bales; corn, 500,000 bushels;
wheat, 22,000 bushels, and oats, 29,000 bushels, while cowpeas, sweet
potatoes, rye, hay, and rice were other crops grown.

In 1886 the growing of bright tobacco was begun, and by 1890 its
production had greatly increased. The acreage devoted to cotton
had increased, while corn remained practically the same; wheat de-
clined, and oats, hay, rice, cowpeas, and sorghum cane increased.
About 4,000 bushels of peanuts were produced. Since 1890 there has
been an increase in tobacco, cotton, and corn, and also of peanuts, Irish
potatoes, cowpeas, grasses, and clovers. The growing of wheat has so
declined that only one flour mill was seen in the county... For a number
of years a large revenue was derived from lumbering. The sale of
timber added considerably to the wealth of many landowners. The
greater part of the large areas of merchantable timber has been
cut, except the gums, ash, cypress, and other trees in the swamps.
Sawmills are in operation in different parts of the county. On the
river, at’ points with both rail and water transportation, are good
locations for woodworking factories for furniture, boxes, crates, etc.
The gum and ash timber along the river and creeks can be easily
and cheaply floated down to these points.

The principal crops now grown in Pitt County are tobacco and
eotton. These are the main money crops and all business is based
upon them. About 10,000,000 pounds of tobacco with a value of
approximately $1,000,000 is annually grown. Between 20,000 and
27,000 bales of cotton is produced. In 1908 the number of bales
was 20,729, while the maximum production within the last few years
was 26,646 bales in 1904. Peanuts and Irish potatoes are also of con-
siderable importance as money crops. Last year many carloads of pea-
nuts were shipped from the county; about 10 cars from Greenville
alone. These were the Virginia and Jumbo varieties and brought
good prices. A few farmers are planting as many as 100 acres to
peanuts and ‘the acreage is increasing rapidly. Irish potatoes are
grown for early shipment to the northern markets. Most of these
are grown in the northern part of the county, particularly around
Bethel, where 750 acres are planted. The yield varies from 25 to 70
barrels of 3 bushels each per acre, the average being 35 or 40 barrels.
The cost of production per acre, including transportation to northern
markets, is about $1.15 per barrel. Under normal conditions.as to
season, price, and yield a profit of $25 to $50 per acre can be made.
For Irish potatoes the Norfolk soils are to\be preferred, because they
are better drained and warm up earlier in the spring. The tubers
grown are smooth and the skins are clean. The profits from growing
Irish potatoes, however, are more or less uncertain, because the price
is so changeable and the yield depends so largely on the season. The

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 11

potatoes are usually planted in rows 3 feet apart, though the rows
are sometimes 5 feet apart and cotton or corn is planted in the middle
of the rows just before the potatoes are dug. Usually 1,500 pounds
of high-grade fertilizer is used per acre on the potato fields.

Corn is one of the staple crops. Oats in considerable quantity are
grown and fed in the sheaf, and some rye is also produced for feed.
Cowpeas are grown extensively, being sown especially in the corn
at the last plowing, and some of the crop is cut for hay. Only a few
fields of wheat were seen, but it is the purpose of some farmers to
grow more of it in the future. Several fields of crimson clover in a
thrifty condition and a few patches of alfalfa, vetch, and rape were
seen. Crimson clover and rape can be successfully grown if thé
soil is limed and fertilized. It must be inoculated for crimson clover,
and this is best secured by getting soil from a field where it has been
successfully grown. Cabbage, English peas, and cucumbers are
grown in limited quantities for shipment. Sweet potatoes, water-
melons, cantaloupes, pears, peaches, apples, and Seuppernong and
James grapes are grown for home use and local markets. Some wine
is manufactured from the grapes. A small apple and peach orchard
is an accompaniment of nearly every well-kept farm. <A little
sorghum cane is raised for the purpose of making sirup for home
use. Hogs and cattle are the principal live stock raised in the county.
Goats and sheep are seen on some of the farms. In some places mul-
berry trees are planted in order to furnish berries for hogs. If the
stock law extended over the entire county it would help to improve
the grade of stock.

It is generally recognized by all that the Norfolk fine sandy loam
and Norfolk sandy loam are the best soils in the county for the produc-
tion of bright tobacco, Irish potatoes, and peanuts, and are also well
adapted to cotton. The truck crops do best on the lighter phases of
these types and the heavier phases of the Norfolk sand. Peaches and
grapes find their best development on the sandy knolls and ridges,
where the drainage is good. It is also known that the dark-colored
and black Portsmouth soils, or “ swamp lands,” are best suited to corn.
A careful selection of soils should be made in growing the various
crops. Crimson clover and cowpeas are well suited to the soils in
Pitt County and vetch can be grown to good advantage on the more
sandy soils.

No specific or definite crop rotation is used throughout the county.
Some of the best farmers plant corn, rest the land one year, and then
grow tobacco the-next year, while others rotate tobacco with peanuts
and sweet potatoes. Around Bethel the following rotation is prac-
ticed by some: Cotton first, then corn, sowing cowpeas at last plow-
ing, and the third year Irish potatoes with cotton between the rows.
A good rotation to adopt would be tobacco followed by crimson

 
 

 

 

 

 

12 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1909.

clover, cutting the clover in the spring, then corn, followed by clover
in the fall, or sow cowpeas in the corn, and the next year plant cot-
ton; for a longer rotation, plant peanuts after cotton and then
tobacco,after peanuts. It is good practice for tobacco to follow cow-
peas on poor soil, but on a highly improved soil the tobacco does
better following corn or cotton. Whatever rotation is practiced it
should be the aim of every farmer to sow cowpeas at least once in
three years and have a winter cover crop of crimson clover as fre-
quently as possible.

The agricultural methods in Pitt County, generally speaking, are
not in all respects as up-to-date as they might be. It is true that the
tobacco, truck crops, and Irish potatoes are well cultivated. Some
of the general farming is very well managed, the soils being im-
proved, and larger yields secured annually. The lands planted to
cotton, corn, and oats are generally plowed about 4 to 6 inches
deep year after year. This shallow plowing has a tendency to pack
the soil where the plowshare runs and to form a hard layer. The
soils, except the sands, should be turned at least 8 inches deep and
then loosened, but not turned, to a depth of 12 or 15 inches. Some
of the most successful farmers are doing this and are being rewarded by
increased yields. By deeper plowing the soils would not suffer so much
from drought and would be better able to withstand excessive rains.
It gives a larger field for the roots of plants to feed in and naturally
they will secure more plant food. The soil should be harrowed and
disked until finely pulverized before the crops are planted and the
subsequent cultivation should be shallow, so as not to disturb the
roots of the growing crops. The deep plowing commonly known
as barring or siding-off corn injures the small roots of the plants.
Labor can be saved and yields increased by using improved ma-
chinery. Much of the hoeing can be eliminated. One man with
two horses and a cultivator can till more corn or cotton than two
men with one-horse plows and two choppers with hoes. No land in
the United States is better adapted to the use of all kinds of farm
machinery than the soils of this level Coastal Plain region.

Most of the hired labor is drawn from the negro race, many women
as well as the men being employed in the fields. The wage for men
is $10 to $12 a month, with rations, house, wood, and garden patch.
By the day the wage is 60 cents for men and 50 cents for women.
During the tobacco season the men commonly receive 75 cents a day.
Labor, such as it is, is plentiful in many parts of the county. What
is needed is more skilled labor that can use machinery to good
advantage.

Some of the large farms or plantations are operated by- a mana-
ger, who superintends the tenants or hired hands, while others are
operated directly by the owners. The tenant system is quite gen-

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 13

eral throughout the county, and many large landowners live in the
towns. Under the most common system the landowner furnishes
the land, stock, feed for stock, seed, implements, and one-half of the
fertilizer, and receives one-half of all the crops produced. Some
of the farms are rented for one-third of the crops, the landowner
furnishing one-third of the fertilizer, while a few are rented for a
stated cash rent or for so much cotton, etc. A large number of the
farms, especially the smaller ones, are operated directly by the
owner with the assistance of his family and some hired help.

The farms vary greatly in size, the larger ones containing from
500 to 3,000 acres, though not all under cultivation, and the smaller
ones from 80 to 300 acres. These smaller farms were noticeable
around Ayden, Stokes, Falkland, and Blackjack.

The value of land in Pitt County depends largely upon location,
kind of soil, and improvements. Well-improved farm land near
the towns is held at $30 to $100 an acre, farther away from town
and railroad at $25 to $40, while virgin cut-over land is valued at
$10 to $20 and pocoson land from $5 to $15 an acre.

There seems to be a tendency to produce more corn, hay, and meat
on the farms. This should be done by all means. No county like
Pitt County will ever enjoy that prosperity which should be hers
until all the corn, hay, meat, and other foodstuffs needed for home
consumption are produced within its limits. Instead of buying
hay and meat at high prices, shipped from the North and West, the
money thus expended should remain in the farmer’s pockets. In
this county cowpeas, crimson clover, and vetch can be easily grown
and cured for hay. There is an abundance of fertile soil to produce
all the corn needed in the county and even a large surplus for outside
markets. Peanuts, chufas, and rape can be cheaply grown and the
hogs allowed to feed on them, and after that only a little corn is
necessary to fatten or harden the meat. The cowpea vines and clover
make an excellent feed for work stock. Peanuts could be introduced
into the crop rotation to a greater extent, thus taking the place of a
part of the cotton and tobacco. Peanuts are an easy and inexpensive
crop to cultivate, costing only about $8 to $10 per acre for all culti-
vation and harvesting and an additional cost of 30 cents per sack of
4 bushels for thrashing. Money can be made growing peanuts. The
vines after being run through a machine make good feed. More
manure should be saved and applied to the tobacco land. The turn-
ing under of green manuring crops, such as cowpeas and crimson
clover, enriches the soil and keeps it in a productive state. All the
nitrogen for crops could be secured from the air by these leguminous
crops and deposited in the soil. One-third of the fertilizer bill could
be saved. Not enough attention has been paid to the needs of the soil
as regards the kinds and quantities of fertilizer applied.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1909.

TOBACCO.

Pitt County is decidedly the largest tobacco-producing. county in
the State of North Carolina. This important industry was first
started in Pitt County in the year 1886, when 8 men planted 4 acres
each in tobacco. Its success was marked from the very beginning.
The acreage was increased in 1887, with still a greater increase in
1888. These crops consisted of a large amount of beautiful wrappers,
which sold for fancy prices, some acres selling for as much as $300.
With the assurance that the soil and climatic conditions favored the
production of this lemon-leaf tobacco in this part of the State, and in
view of the high prices paid for the previous crops, the people be-
same enthusiastic on the subject and as a result the acreage was
greatly increased in 1889 and 1890. This industry spread over the
county and into adjoining counties. The increase in acreage con-
tinued till 1902, when the largest crop in the history of the county
was grown, approximating 20,000,000 pounds.

Prior to 1891 practically all of the tobacco was shipped to Oxford
and Henderson, N. C. Greenville became a tobacco market in 1891,
when one warehouse was built and 250,000 pounds of tobacco were
sold. In the following year another warehouse was opened and more
than a million pounds were sold* In 1894 another warehouse was
built and at this time more than 4,000,000 pounds were marketed in
Greenville. There was a gradual increase to 1900, when 9,000,000
pounds were sold, and in 1901, 13,000,000 pounds. In the meantime
other warehouses were built and 17,600,000 pounds were sold in 1902.
The prices from 1892 to 1898 were low compared to prices of previous
years. Prices were again low in 1903 on account of the extremely
large crop of 1902. Owing to these low prices the production in 1904
and 1905 was reduced considerably, but since that time has remained
around 11,000,000 pounds annually. In 1908 between 12,000,000 and
15,000,000 pounds were marketed in Greenville, in Farmville 3,000,-
000 pounds, and in Ayden 1,500,000 pounds. The average yield per
acre in normal seasons is about 750 to 800 pounds and the average
price is near 10 cents a pound, The tobacco is known as the lemon-
leaf, and is of a bright, yellow color. The principal varieties are the
Orinoco, White Stem, Warnh, and Willow Leaf, while a few
other varieties of minor importance are grown. The cured leaf
as put on the market is classed as wrappers, cutters, English strips,
and smokers. Lucky is the man who can so handle his crop as to
get a fairly even division of these grades. Some years there will
be practically no wrappers in a crop, while again a considerable
quantity may reach that grade. About 75 to 80 per cent is classed
as cutters and English strips, and the remainder, not included in
wrappers, is classed as smokers. The wrappers usually average be-

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA.

tween 40 and 60 cents a pound, cutters from 10 to 35 cents, English
strips from 8 to 30 cents, and smokers from 5 to 12 cents. The reason
that the average price for the entire crop is no higher is on account
of the large percentage of low-grade strips and cutters, which sell
at the lower prices.

The best soil in eastern North Carolina for the production of
the lemon-leaf tobacco is the Norfolk fine sandy loam. The gray
or yellowish-gray fine, mellow soil, having a depth of 12 to 20 inches
and underlain by a yellow, friable, sandy clay, is the best suited to
tobacco. There are some areas of Norfolk sandy loam which pro-
duce as good a quality of tobacco as the fine sandy loam. The Nor-
folk sand and Norfolk fine sand occasionally produce a good grade,
but generally the leaf is thin and chaffy, lacking in body and having
an inferior texture.

The preparation of the seed bed is usually begun in January. A
plat of virgin soil is selected on the south side of a slope or forested
area, and some wood and brush are placed on the ground and burned
in order to kill the seeds of grasses and weeds. A few farmers, how-
ever, do not burn the land, but simply select a spot which appears
to be free from grasses. After all trash is removed from the soil it
is finely pulverized and to it is added 1} pounds of 8-44 or 8-3-3¢
fertilizer, with a moderate quantity of cotton-seed meal, per square
yard. The transplanting is done between April 15 and May 5, about
5,000 plants being set to the acre. The work should be done by
tobacco transplanters and not by hand. The level and gently rolling
surface: of the land, together with the texture of the soil and its
freedom from stones and stumps, invites the use of transplanters and
other kinds of machinery. The farmers should readily see the advan-
tage of using labor-saving and time-saving machinery.

The field in which tobacco is to be planted should be plowed well
and finely pulverized; in fact, it should be thoroughly prepared be-
fore the plants are set. The first plowing of the tobacco should be
deep and after that it should be frequent and shallow. High
hilling with the hoe is unnecessary labor and expense. The flat to
ridge cultivation will answer every demand. About the only advan-
tage in the hilling is that the plants will not blow down quite so
badly during a storm. Much of the hoe work can be dispensed with.

The planting of tobacco year after year on the same land causes the
soil to deteriorate, becoming deficient in potash, and in a way poi-
soned to the crop. The first crop does well, the second not quite so
well, and the third one is decidedly less than the first, provided the
same fertilization is used each year. However, by adding more pot-

4The formulas in this report are stated in the order: Phosphoric acid, nitro-

 

gen, potassium.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

16 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1909.

ash each year the yield and quality can be maintained for a period
of years. Crop rotation and resting the land occasionally are neces-
sary in order to keep the soil in a condition to maintain its yields and
give body to the leaf. Peanuts, sweet potatoes, and tobacco make a
good rotation. Some plant tobacco on rested land, following it with
corn, and then after resting the land one year repeat the course.
Cowpeas should not immediately precede tobacco, except on poor soil.
On land devoted to tobacco barnyard manure is very beneficial,
especially so in connection with a fertilizer high in potash and low in
nitrogen. ‘Tobacco is a heavy potash feeder, and this fact should
not be overlooked in buying or preparing fertilizers,

The topping of tobacco gives the plant strength, texture, and body,
and this is done with best results when there are indications of but-
toning. No good tobacco can be grown without its being topped, as
the stalk would be tall and the leaf flimsy. The mistake most com-
monly made is in not topping sufficiently low to give proper body.
Suckering is absolutely essential, as failure to perform this duty re-
sults in a thin, chaffy, and almost worthless leaf.

Until about twelve years ago it was the common practice to cut
the stalk containing all the leaves and hang it in the barn to be cured.
Priming, or stripping the leaves from the stalks as they ripen, is now
general throughout the county. The advantages in this are that more
uniformity is had in the tobacco, it takes less time to cure, and saves
expense, whereas cutting the stalk necessitates a considerable sacrifice
of both bottom and top leaves, since the former will be overripe and
the latter immature. The fields are usually gone over three times
for the tips. The leaves are strung on wires or strings which are
attached to sticks and then hung in the barn.

The proper curing of tobacco is quite an art. It requires skill,
experience, and judgment. Lack of attention for a few hours may
ruin an entire barn. No definite rule can be laid down, much de-
pending on the character of the tobacco. The process of curing can
entirely change the quality of the leaf. The heat is started at a few
degrees above normal and allowed to remain there for a few hours,
then it is raised to 108° or 110°, which temperature is maintained till
the leaf is as yellow as desired. The heat is then raised to 130° and
stands there until the leaves begin to dry, then to 135° till dry, and
finally raised to 140° or 150° to dry out the stems. When cured it
is taken from the barn and stored in a pack house. It is then graded,
tied in small bundles, and made ready for market.

' The average acre of tobacco will sell for about $75, though some
farmers receive more than $100 an acre for their crop. The average
cost of production per acre varies from $45 to $60. Tobacco is the
small farmer’s crop. He can make more profit to the acre than
the large planter who hires all labor. The small farmer with help

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 17

from his family can do most of the work, except planting and har-
vesting. Quite a number of farmers grow 50 to 100 acres in tobacco
and a few as much as 150 acres.

SOILS.

Pitt County lies in the central part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain.
Its entire area is covered by the Columbia formation, which is com-
posed of materials brought down from the Piedmont and mountain
sections of North Carolina and Virginia and deposited while the
present area was a part of the sea floor and covered with water.
These sediments have since been more or less changed by stream and
organic agencies. Evidences of this fact are noticeable along the Tar
River and other streams where areas of sand have been thus deposited
as ridges and bars. Underlying many areas, particularly along Tar
River and the smaller streams, are extensive beds of shell marl at
from 4 to 50 feet below the surface. (See p. 31.) Throughout the
county there are large flat areas of table-land where natural drainage
has not yet been established.

The soils derived from the sediments are sands, sandy loams, sandy
clays, and clays, of varying degrees of texture. Practically all of
the coarser textured soils occur north of Tar River, though a few
bodies lie south of the river and a large body east of Grifton. The
fine sandy loams predominate throughout the county south of the
river, except in the southeastern part where the very fine sandy loams
and clays occur.

The soils of Pitt County are in the main typical of the South
Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain. They have been classified into two
distinct series, the Norfolk and the Portsmouth, with small areas of
Coxville silt loam, two spots of Muck, and large bodies of Swamp.
The Norfolk series comprises the light-colored upland soils with

yellow sand and sandy clay subsoils. The Portsmouth series com-
prises the dark-gray to black soils of the depressions and flat uplands,
with gray, mottled with yellow or brown, sandy clay subsoils.

The Norfolk soils occupy the greater proportion of the county and
have been classified according to their texture into five types, viz,
sand, fine sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, and very fine sandy

loam.

The soils of the Portsmouth series are derived from the same char-
acter of material as the Norfolk series, but contain more organic
matter. Occupying as they do lowlands near streams and flat up-
land areas, they have been for a long time in a semiswampy condi-
tion which has favored the accumulation of large quantities of vege-
table matter. This gives them their dark color and mainly distin-
guishes them from the Norfolk series. These soils have been mapped
as sandy loam, fine sandy loam, and clay. In many places, espe-

20229—10-——3

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

18 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1909.

cially in the southeastern part of the county, around Shelmerdine
and Coxville, the types gradually merge into each other and no sharp
boundary lines can be drawn. Probably no county in the Coastal
Plain section of North Carolina shows a greater variation and inter-
mingling of soil types than Pitt County.

The following table gives the name and extent of each of the
several types of soil mapped:

Areas of different soils.

 

Per
cent.

Soil. | Acres.

Norfolk fine sandy loam 161, 920 | 38. || Coxville silt loam 16, 192 3.9
Portsmouth fine sandy loam 56, 320 .5 || Norfolk very fine sandy loam | 13,888 3.3
Swamp 61,328 | 12.% | Norfolk fine sand 8, 448
Norfolk sand ... é 3 : 128
Norfolk sandy loam 33, 472 ak aan |
Portsmouth sandy loam 22,272

Portsmouth clay 16,512

 

 

 

 

NORFOLK SAND,

The surface soil of the Norfolk sand is a light-brown or yellowish-
gray medium sand to a depth of 6 inches. In some places there is
a sufficient quantity of fine gravel and coarse sand to make the soil
a coarse sand, while in other places the finer particles predominate
and give a medium to fine sand. In the river bottoms and some of
the forested areas the brown color is more noticeable. In areas of
the type there are many small spots of light, deep sandy loam, and
also very small strips of dark-gray to black sand with gray coarse
sand subsoil, occupying the depressions not included in the Ports-
mouth sandy loam.

The subsoil to a depth of 36 inches is a yellow to reddish medium
to coarse sand, loose and incoherent in the ridges and dunelike areas.
In many places along the river and near New Belden is a light,
loamy, sticky, reddish sand containing more clay than true sections
of sand.

The type occurs on the north side of Tar River in extended strips
varying in width from one-half mile to 14 miles and follows the river
throughout its course in the county. On the south side of the river
there are a few small bodies north of Grimesland, and at other places,
especially opposite Falkland and along some of the small streams
near it. Large bodies oceur in the southern extremity of the county
to the east of Grifton.

The Norfolk sand occupies slightly rolling areas, ridges and knolls,
and level areas, with a few depressions. The more level bodies are
found at the lowest elevations near the mouth of Grindle Creek.

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 19

Some of it would be termed “ second-bottom land.” The type varies
in elevation from about 40 feet down to 10 feet above sea level. It
possesses excellent natural drainage, due both to its surface features
and the open, porous character of soil and subsoil. It warms up
very early in the spring, and on account of the free passage of water
through it the soil can be cultivated immediately after a rain. This
sand is the coarser material of the Columbia formation, and has been
laid down and modified by stream action. Shallow plowing serves
every purpose, but green crops and coarse manures are required to
improve its productiveness.

This was one of the first soils in the county to be cultivated, owing
probably to the fact that it lies adjacent to the navigable streams
which furnished the only means of transportation at that time. The
greater part of the type is now under cultivation and the few for-
ested areas are covered by shortleaf and loblolly pine, oak, dogwood,
and holly.

The soil is well suited to early truck crops, such as English peas,
beans, asparagus, sweet corn, watermelons, and cantaloupes, and to
Scuppernong grapes, peaches, and berries. On the areas where the
reddish sticky sand or sandy loam is encountered in the subsoil Irish
potatoes, peanuts, tobacco, and general farm crops do fairly well.
Cotton yields per acre from one-fourth to one-third bale without
fertilizer, and from one-half to two-thirds bale with 600 to 800
pounds of 8-3-3 fertilizer; corn from 5 to 10 bushels, and with
300 pounds of 8-2-2 fertilizer on improved land about 15 or 20
bushels; tobacco about 600 pounds with 800 to 1,000 pounds of
8-3-3 fertilizer; peanuts from 30 to 60 bushels, the yield depending
upon the quality of land and amount of fertilizer: Irish potatoes
from 30 to 40 barrels with 1,500 pounds of 7-5-7 fertilizer. Cucum-
bers, cabbage, and other truck crops are grown to some extent on this
soil, and a few mulberry and peach orchards were seen. Scupper-
nong grapes do well. Rye, vetch, and cowpeas should be grown more
generally on this soil.

NORFOLK FINE SAND.

The soil of the Norfolk fine sand in forested areas is a light-brown,
occasionally whitish, fine mellow sand, and in cultivated areas a yel-
lowish-gray or whitish fine sand to a depth of 6 inches. The subsoil
is yellow or light-gray to whitish fine, mealy sand, loose and incoher-
ent. There are spots where the subsoil is a reddish-yellow, sticky fine
sand or sandy loam at 30 to 36 inches.

This type of soil is encountered in many small bodies throughout
the county south of the river, particularly along Little Contentnea
Creek, to the north of Grifton. east of Ayden, southeast of Green-
ville and Simpson, and in the western end of the county.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

20 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1909.

The Norfolk fine sand generally occupies ridges, knolls, and slopes,
though some of it is found in flat areas near the streams, especially
along Contentnea Creek. Excepting a few places where it is wet and
soggy, the type is excellently drained.

Only a small percentage of the type is under cultivation at present.
Some of it was once farmed, but has since been “ turned out ” and has
grown up to old-field pine. Part of the type is forested to longleaf
and shortleaf pine, but most of it to loblolly pine.

The soil is too light textured for general farming, but when prop-
erly managed it is adapted to early truck crops, peanuts, peaches,
Scuppernong grapes, and melons. By the use of marl and commer-
cial fertilizers peanuts would be a good crop. The yields of the few
crops now grown are corn, from 5 to 15 bushels; cotton, one-fourth
to one-half bale; tobacco, 500 to 600 pounds per acre. The tobacco
leaf is thin and is commonly called “ slazy,” but it has a pretty yellow
color. The cotton, corn, and tobacco are fertilized. Some rye is
grown. This soil, like the Norfolk sand, only requires shallow plow-
ing. Humus should be supplied by growing cowpeas, crimson clover,
and vetch, and by using coarse manures. Commercial fertilizers soon
leach out. The Norfolk fine sand is not highly prized as a farming
soil and has a lower value than the surrounding soils.

The results of mechanical analyses of soil and subsoil of this type
are given in the following table:

Mechanical analyses of Norfolk fine sand.

 

Fine Coarse | Medium Fine |Very fine| Silt
gravel. sand. sand. sand. sand, Z

Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent.

20646 Soi 0.1 | 1.5 3.6 | 73.2 10.7 6.0 4.

20647 0} 1.0 2.5 | 74.9 12.9 5.2 8.9
} | |

Number. Description. | Clay.

Per cent. | Per cent,

 

NORFOLK SANDY LOAM.

The surface soil of the Norfolk sandy loam consists of gray to yel-
lowish-gray, sometimes brown, medium to coarse sandy loam, vary-
ing in depth from 8 to 24 inches. In the wooded areas the soil for
the first few inches is slightly darker because of organic matter.
Where the soil is more than 8 inches deep a yellow medium sandy
loam is encountered and extends to the sandy clay. On some of the
slopes in sand areas and on second bottoms the deep, loose-textured
phase of this type is found.

The subsoil is usually a yellow friable sandy clay; reddish-yellow
to brown friable sandy clay is sometimes encountered in the better
drained areas. Spots occur around Bethel and in places along the

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 21

river where the subsoil is brown in color, while in other small areas
the subsoil is heavy, approaching a clay in texture.

This type of soil occurs mainly in the northern half of the county.
It is particularly noticeable east of Hill, around Bethel, near Oakley,
along the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad by Pactolus, in the vicinity
of House, near Falkland, Fountain, Redalia, and in other places in
the county.

The surface of the Norfolk sandy loam varies from level to roll-
ing. The more rolling bodies-are found on the slopes near small
streams. Practically all of the soil has good surface drainage and
only a few open ditches are necessary to carry off the rain water. In
origin this soil is closely related to the Norfolk sand and Norfolk
fine sandy loam and represents some of the coarser materials which
have undergone very little weathering, except on slopes, where the
finer particles have been washed out and carried away by heavy
rains, thus leaving a loose, light, coarse soil.

Most of this type is cultivated, and the remaining areas are coy-
ered with a growth of loblolly pine or have been cut over and now
have a scattering growth of pine and scrub oak. The soil is well
adapted to cotton, tobacco, peanuts, Irish potatoes, crimson clover,
cowpeas, vetch, melons, peaches, Scuppernong grapes, and a great
variety of truck crops. In the vicinity of Bethel a large acreage of
this type is devoted to the production of Irish potatoes for early
shipment. By applying from 1,000 to 1,500 pounds of high-grade
fertilizer—either 7-7-7, 7-6-5, or 7-5-5—the yield of potatoes is
from 40 to 60 barrels per acre. On this soil tobacco yields from 800
to 1,000 pounds per acre with 800 to 1,000 pounds of 8-3-3 or a home
mixture of about the same composition; corn from 10 to 30 bushels,
usually fertilized with 200 to 300 pounds of 8-2-2; cotton from one-half
bale to 14 bales with from 300 to 600 pounds of 8-3-8 fertilizer; pea-
nuts from 30 to 100 bushels with light applications of commercial fer-
tilizers or 300 to 400 pounds of land plaster. Oats make fairly good
yields. Sweet potatoes, cabbage, and cucumbers are also grown to
a limited extent. By growing legumes frequently and applying
manures, less commercial fertilizer would be required in the produc-
tion of the many crops.

The Norfolk sandy loam where cleared and improved is held at
from $25 to $50 an acre, while the virgin soil can be had for $15 to
$20 an acre,

 
 

 

 

 

 

22 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, °1909.

The results of mechanical analyses of soil and subsoil of the Nor-
folk sandy loam are given in the following table:

Mechanical analyses of Norfolk sandy loam.

"2 on
|
Number. Description.

Fine | Coarse | Medium | Fine | Very fine . ‘
gravel. | sand. sand. sand. sand. Silt. Clay.

oS aa sp 2.5 15.4 19.0 6.3| 29.5 | 9.8
10.7 147 BE 28.3| 30.0

NORFOLK FINE SANDY LOAM.

The soil of the Norfolk fine sandy loam consists of a gray to
yellowish-gray fine mellow sandy loam, having a depth of 12 to 18
inches for typical areas. Usually underlying the surface soil below
6 inches is a layer of yellow fine sandy loam. In the thickly wooded
areas the first few inches is darker colored, owing to the presence of
organic matter. Throughout the areas of the type are local variations
in the texture and depth of soil, the most noticeable being the loose,
deep, light sandy loam to a depth of 18 to 24 inches, which lies just
east of Greenville, and in places along the road to and around
Grimesland, also along the Edgecombe County line to the north of
Fountain, and spots in the vicinity of Winterville and in places near
the boundary of the Norfolk fine sand. Along the river road, about
2 or 3 miles from Greenville, toward Falkland, the surface .soil is
very shallow in*places and often a brown clay is exposed. In the
southeastern part of the county, where it joins with Coxville silt
loam, the surface soil is shallow and the subsoil a heavy clay loam.
In this type there are many spots of Portsmouth fine sandy loam
occupying slight depressions which were too small to be shown on the
soil map. ‘

The subsoil in the more uniform areas of the type is a yellow
friable fine sandy clay to a depth of 36 inches. In some places a
soft, mushy,sandy clay is encountered. On the flatter and the more
poorly drained areas there is a slight mottling of brown and gray,
while in certain localities on the slopes near the streams a reddish
sandy clay or brown clay loam is encountered.

The Norfolk fine sandy loam is the most extensive type in the
county, covering the greater part of the country south of the Tar
River and west of a line from Grimesland to Grifton. “Many bodies
oceur in the northern part, especially around Oakley and Stokes.
The soil is typically developed around Falkland, Farmville, Green-
ville, Simpson, Ayden, along the Norfolk and Southern Railroad,
and along the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad south of Greenville.

 

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 28

The type occupies level, undulating, and gently rolling areas.
Bordering some of the streams and river bluffs the surface varies
from gently rolling to rolling. The large interstream areas lying
between Tar River and Little Contentnea Creek from Fountain to
Cox Crossing consist of broad, level, and gently rolling uplands,
which become more rolling as the small streams are approached. All
the gently rolling and rolling and most of the undulating areas
possess good natural drainage. The level areas in many places re-
quire open ditches to carry off the rain water and dry the soil. The
ditch banks stand up well in the sandy clay. The flat, level areas,
now wet and soggy, have sufficient elevation to be very easily drained
by open ditches leading into the natural drainage ways, which are of
frequent occurrence.

This soil has been formed by the weathering of the sands and clays
of the Columbia formation. The soil is more uniform in the level
and undulating areas, while on the slopes and knolls some of the silt
and clay has been leached out and carried away by rain water, leay-
ing a deeper loose soil. The soil as a whole is mellow and very
easily tilled. Improved machinery can be used with the greatest
ease. The soil, though naturally containing some organic matter, is
susceptible of high improvement and responds readily to commercial
fertilizers. The effect of manures and cowpeas is seen for several
years. By proper rotation of crops, including cowpeas, crimson
clover, and vetch, the soil can be brought to a high state of pro-
ductivity. This fact has been demonstrated by farmers in various
parts of the county. By far the greater part of this soil is under
cultivation. Loblolly, shortleaf, and longleaf pine constitute the
main forest growth. On the cut-over areas are scattering pine,
sweet gum, dogwood, some scrub oaks, and occasionally large oaks.

For general farming purposes the Norfolk fine sandy loam is the
best soil in the county. It is particularly suited to the production
of bright tobacco, and the larger portion of the crop in Pitt County
is grown on this soil. It is also an excellent soil for the growing of
cotton, peanuts, Irish potatoes, garden vegetables, all kinds of late
truck, cowpeas, crimson clover, vetch, etc. Cotton ranges in yield
from one-third bale to 14 bales per acre, tobacco from 700 to 1,200
pounds, corn 12 to 30 bushels, Irish potatoes from 30 to 75 barrels (3
bushels to the barrel), and peanuts 40 to 100 bushels. Oats give ordi-
nary yields and crimson clover 1 to 2 tons per acre when the soil is in-
oculated. Sweet potatoes, beets, cucumbers, cowpeas, peaches, pecans,
Scuppernong grapes, and rye do well. Commercial fertilizer is
generally used in growing the main crops on this soil. For cotton,
from 400 to 800 pounds to the acre of 8-3-3, or its equivalent, is
usually applied; for tobacco, about 800 to 1,000 pounds of 8-3-3,
some using 4-3-5; for Irish potatoes, 1,000 to 1,500 pounds of 7-6-5

 
 

 

24 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1909.

fertilizer; for peanuts, 300 to 400 pounds of land plaster and some-
times 150 to 300 pounds of 10-4 acid phosphate and potash; and
when corn is fertilized, about 200 pounds to the acre of an 8-2-2
compound. Some stable manure is used and is always beneficial.

Some farmers plow to a depth of 8 inches, but the majority plow
only 4 to 5 inches deep, and have done so for many years. This soil
should be plowed 8 to 10 inches deep, but this depth should be
reached gradually, so as not to turn up too much raw material at
one time. By breaking the land to proper depth the roots of the
plants can reach more plant food and crops will suffer less from
either excessive rains or severe drought, the result being increased
yields.

- The Norfolk fine sandy loam is the most highly prized soil in
Pitt County. It ranges in price from $20 to $100 an acre, depend-
ing on locality and proximity to markets. Around Oakley and to
the north of it it is held at $20 to $40, and near Ayden, Farmville,
and Greenville, for well-improved land, $40 to $100 an acre.

The following table gives the results of mechanical analyses of
soil and subsoil of this type:

Mechanical analyses of Norfolk fine sandy loam.

Fine Coarse | Medium Fine |Very fine
gravel. | sand. | sand. sand, sand.

Number. Description. Silt. Clay.

|
Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent.
Oy 4.0 | 59.7 6.7 20.9 6.3

20651 Al ee 2.9 | 45.7 3.6 | 17.0 29.5

|

 

NORFOLK VERY FINE SANDY LOAM,

The surface soil of the Norfolk very fine sandy loam is a gray to
yellowish-gray very fine sandy to silty loam to a depth of 6 to 12
inches. There is commonly found a yellow silt loam lying between
the surface soil and the subsoil. Immediately south of Bryan the
soil contains a higher percentage of fine sand than the typical areas,
while around Shelmerdine and to the east there is a relatively large
amount of silt, giving the soil a velvety, smooth feel. The upper
portion of the subsoil is usually a yellow loam or silt loam and
then passes into a clay loam or fine sandy clay of yellowish or red-
dish-yellow color.

The main bodies of this type are found in the southeastern part
of the county, south and west of Bryan, between Blackjack and
Shelmerdine, and west of Shelmerdine. In the northern part of the
county an important area lies a few miles south and another a few
miles west of Bethel. A few other smaller bodies occur here and
there in the county. The type occupies level, gently rolling, and

 

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 25

undulating areas. It varies in elevation from about 30 to 50 feet
above sea level. The more rolling and undulating areas possess good
natural drainage, while the flat areas can be drained by open ditches.

The Norfolk very fine sandy loam has been derived from the same
materials as the Norfolk fine sandy loam, except there is a prepon-
derance of the finer materials in this type. The amount of organic
matter is small. The soil is easy to till if properly plowed, disked,
harrowed, and pulverized before planting is done; otherwise it will
clod and have a tendency to bake. It needs more humus, which is
best supplied by turning under leguminous crops and by broadcast-
ing manures. Around Shelmerdine and south of Bryan only a small
part of this soil is cultivated, but in other localities where it occurs
it is used to a greater extent. Perhaps more than half of the type
is forested to loblolly pine, with some shortleaf pine, gum, and
hardwoods in depressions and poorly drained areas.

This soil is suited to cotton, Spanish peanuts, corn, clover, and,
on the best-drained areas, to tobacco. Corn yields from 15 to 20
bushels, cotton from one-half bale to 1 bale, and tobacco from 700
to 1,000 pounds per acre. Oats yield fairly well. The commercial
fertilizer usually applied is an 8-3-3 brand. Cotton and tobacco
receive the same mixture, 300 to 500 pounds per acre for the former
and 800 to 1,200 pounds for_the latter crop. For corn about 200
pounds of some 8-2-2 grade is sometimes used. The price of this land
ranges from $20 to $50 an acre.

The results of mechanical analyses of soil and subsoil of this type
are given in the following table:

Mechanical analyses of Norfolk very fine sandy loam.

Fine Coarse | Medium Fine /|Very fine

Silt.
gravel. sand. sand, sand. sand. ilt

Number. Description.

Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent,
20656 Soi 0.0 0.4 0.8 23.0 32.6 82.3 11.0
20657 0 2 6 16.1 21.4 32.8 28.7

PORTSMOUTH SANDY LOAM.

The soil of the Portsmouth sandy loam is a dark-gray to black
medium to coarse sandy loam to an average depth of 12 to 14 inches.
It varies throughout the county from a loose coarse sandy loam to a
compact medium sandy loam. The subsoil to a depth of 36 inches
is a gray to mottled yellow, and sometimes reddish-brown, medium
to coarse sandy clay, often grading at 25 to 36 inches into a heavy,
stiff sandy clay. .

Mapped with this type of soil and occurring east of Grifton, around
New Belden, and west of House, is a black loamy sand or light sandy

 
et ent tee

pe

26 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1909.

loam grading into a coarse sand to sandy loam. Small bodies of wet
dark-gray to black coarse sandy loam grading into a gray to mottled
yellow sticky sand occur north of Grimesland, west of Whichard and
Oakley, and north of Pactolus.

The main bodies of the Portsmouth sandy loam occupy flat wplands
of irregular shape to the north and west of Pactolus, southeast and
west of Whichard, west of Stokes and Oakley, near Bethel, and
northeast of Hill, while east of Grifton, west of House, near New
Belden, and north of Gardnerville it occurs as depressed areas.
The type requires artificial drainage, all of it being sufficiently
elevated to be drained by cleaning out the natural drainage courses,
supplemented by canals and lateral ditches.

The soil is composed of the coarser materials deposited during the
Columbia age, and the large content of black organic matter has
accumulated during the subsequent swampy condition of the areas.
The drier phases of the type support a growth of loblolly: and short-
leaf pines, but the lower wet sections are covered by sweet and black
gums, a few water oaks and maples, with an undergrowth of alders,
reeds, and gallberry bushes. Little merchantable timber remains and
that is owned by lumber companies.

When properly drained, and also limed so as to counteract. its
acidity, caused by the decomposition of the organic matter, the soil
is especially adapted to growing corn, oats, and certain truck crops.
Cotton, Spanish peanuts, sorghum cane, and field peas also do well.
Corn is the chief crop grown, and yields from 20 to 50 bushels per
acre. Not much fertilizer is used other than an application of marl,
though some apply moderate quantities, 150 to 400 pounds, of brands
analyzing 8-2-2. Cotton is grown on the better drained areas and
yields from one-third to 1} bales, averaging about three-fourths bale
per acre. The fertilizer application for this crop is usually 300 to
600 pounds of a somewhat better grade than for corn, usually the
8-3-3 grade. East of Grifton some Irish potatoes and excellent
crops of wheat are grown. The soil should be plowed deeper. | It is
easily tilled after being properly broken and does not clod when
sufficiently pulverized and limed. The undrained areas are valued
at $5 to $20, and the sections under cultivation at $30 to $75 an acre.

PORTSMOUTH FINE SANDY LOAM.

The soil of the Portsmouth fine sandy loam is a dark gray or black,
fine to very fine, though occasionally medium to fine, sandy loam, hav-
ing an average depth of 12 inches. The wet uncultivated soil usually
contains large amounts of organic matter, particularly at the head of
small swamps. In the higher, better drained areas the soil is lighter
in color, contains higher percentages of sand, and is mellow and easily

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 27
tilled. The subsoil to a depth of 36 inches is a gray, more or less
mottled yellow, fine sandy, often silty, clay to sandy loam, usually
becoming heavier from 20 to 36 inches below the surface.

North of Grifton the type occurs as a black, wet, sandy soil con-
taining large amounts of organic matter, underlain by a gray sand
and at times by a brown, mucky, sandy loam. A heavy, compact, silty
phase is found southwest of Staton, south of Bethel, north of Oakley,
southwest of Ayden, and in places along the smaller streams. North-
west of Frog Level and to the east of House a loamy black soil is
found in small spots.

The largest bodies of the type occur north of Tar River in Grindle
Pocoson. From near Bethel southeast to the county line east of
Pactolus irregular bodies and strips occur. Other bodies of irregular
outline occur between Tar River and Little Contentnea Creek, the
principal ones lying southeast from Fountain, and near California
and Frog Level. Smaller bodies are found southwest of Tugwell and
Ayden, near Hanrahan, south and west of Farmville, and elsewhere
in the county. All of the larger bodies occur as flat upland where the
drainage systems are not well established. The smaller bodies or
strips occupy depressions, forming part of the drainage courses in the
low, undulating, or almost level areas.

The type generally requires artificial drainage by means of canals
and ditches leading into the natural drainage ways. The drier sec-
tions have a growth of loblolly and a few short and longleaf pines
and sweet gum. The lower lying, wet sections have a tree growth of
sweet and black gums, some poplar, maple, and oak, with an under-
growth of gallberry bushes, alders, reeds, and bays. Much of the pine

has been cut, but some sections have good hardwood.
When drained and sufficiently limed the soil is well adapted to
corn, cotton, oats, Spanish peanuts, cabbage, and certain varieties of

strawberries. Onions and celery would be profitable crops on the
black loamy phase. No extensive bodies of this type are under culti-
vation, but many of the small strips and the better drained parts of
the large areas are planted to corn and to some extent to cotton and
oats. Corn yields from 15 to 50 bushels per acre. Very little com-
mercial fertilizer is bought for this crop, though some farmers use
from 150 to 400 pounds of some 8-2-2 mixture. Cotton yields from
one-third to 1} bales, averaging about three-fourths bale per acre.
From 300 to 600 pounds of fertilizer analyzing 8-3-3 is the usual
application per acre for cotton. Oats are fall sown and yield 10 to
30 bushels per acre. Deeper plowing, better drainage, and rough
manures would add greatly to the productiveness of this soil. The
wet pocoson land is valued at $5 to $15 and the cultivated areas from
$20 to $60 an acre.

 
 

 

28 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1909.

The average results of mechanical analyses of soil and subsoil of
this type are given in the following table:

Mechanical analyses of Portsmouth fine sandy loam.

Fine Coarse | Medium Fine | Very fine

gravel. sand. sand. sand. sand.

Number. Description. Silt. Clay.

| |
Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent.
20664, 20666 soi | 0.2 1.2 | 1.6 47.4 16.4 | 23.0 | 10.1

20665, 20667 | aie bat -0 3 1.3 42.2 17.0 | 19.2 20.0

PORTSMOUTH CLAY.

The soil of the Portsmouth clay is a dark-gray or brownish-gray
to black silty loam to clay loam, heavy and compact on the higher,
better drained areas, and ranging in depth from an inch or two to
about 8 inches, averaging about 5 inches. In the wet or semiswampy
areas the soil is generally a rather dark gray to black, smooth silty
loam having a depth of from 10 to 14 inches. The subsoil is a stiff,
impervious, mottled gray and yellow silty clay. Northwest of Staton
it contains more fine sand. The heavy phase is found northeast of
House, south of Elmira Crossroads, near Johnsons Mills, and in the
better drained portions north of Coxville.

Most of the type occurs in the southeastern part of the county east
of Swift Creek to the Beaufort County line. Two considerable
bodies, however, are found to the north of Tar River, both being
near Staton. The areas generally have topographic features similar
to those of the other Portsmouth soils, but this type does not have as
much elevation, the highest being not more than 40 feet above sea
level. The surface drainage is poor, and the soil requires artificial
drainage and liming before being cultivated.

The soil, when drained, is generally compact, and clods and bakes
if plowed when too wet. Lime liberally applied, together with fre-
quent cultivation, greatly improves the texture. Very little of the
type is under cultivation. It is adapted to clovers, oats, and corn.
The strips cultivated are used for corn, oats, and cotton, and near
Bryan vetch and crimson clover are important crops.

The forest growth consists of pine and sweet gum and a few other
hardwoods. More longleaf pine is standing on this type than upon
the other Portsmouth soils. The undergrowth is composed largely of
bays, scrubby sweet gums, and gallberry bushes.

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 29

The results of mechanical analyses of soil and subsoil are given in
the following table:

Mechanical analyses of Portsmouth clay.

Fine Coarse | Medium Fine Very fine

2 Yescription.
Number. Description gravel. | sand. sand. sand. sand.

Silt. | Clay.
|
|

|
Per cent. | Per cent, | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent.
20660 1.5 2.7 14.6 | 9.9 82.8 | 37.9
| et .
20318, 20661 a 2.1 1.9 17.2 10.3 | 29.9 | 38.5
| |

COXVILLE SILT LOAM,

The surface soil of the Coxville silt loam is a silt loam to loam
of light-gray to dark-gray color, having a depth of 5 to 8 inches.
The more uniform areas contain a high percentage of silt, while on
some of the gently rolling areas the first few inches is a fine sandy

loam. The subsoil to a depth of 36 inches is a plastic, tough, and

impervious clay, mottled yellow, reddish-brown, and red. On the
flattest areas a subsoil of brown clay with red spots is frequently
found.

This type is confined largely to the southern and southeastern
parts of the county. It is well developed around Coxville, Calico,
and east of Shelmerdine and Blackjack. The surface of a large
portion of the type is level to gently rolling and undulating, while
a part is very flat and slightly depressed. On the more gently
rolling areas the surface drainage is fairly good, but in the flattest
areas open ditches are necessary. The impervious character of the
subsoil hinders the passage of underground waters, making drainage
a little difficult without frequent ditches.

The Coxville silt loam has been derived from the deposition in
rather quiet water of the finer materials of the Columbia forma-
tion, which, on account of the poor drainage, has not weathered to
the same extent as the materials forming the Norfolk soils. Owing
to the relatively large quantities of silt and clay and the small per-
centage of organic matter the soil when not plowed deep and properly
pulverized clods and bakes on cultivation. It needs to be plowed at
least 6 or 8 inches deep, well pulverized and limed, and should have
considerable vegetable matter in it to make it more porous and open.
Coarse barnyard manure, cowpeas, and clovers will be very beneficial
if turned under, and if only the stubble of the crops is incorporated
in the soil some improvement will result.

A large part of this type is forested to longleaf, shortleaf, and
loblolly pine on the drier areas, and to gums and a few oaks and
pines on the wetter areas.

 
30 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1909.

The crops best adapted to this soil are grasses, corn, and cotton.
It would make good grazing land if properly seeded. Corn yields
from 10 to 20 bushels, and cotton one-third to two-thirds bale per
acre. Oats give small yields. Tobacco is grown only on the more
sandy ridges and fairly good yields are secured. Certain varieties
of strawberries would do well. Fertilizers are generally used for
the staple crops. Land of this type sells for $5 to $25 an acre.

The following table gives the average results of mechanical analyses
of soil and subsoil of this type:

Vechanical analyses of Coxville silt loam.

| |
Descrip- Fine Coarse | Medium Fine Very fine |

|
Number. ;
a bg / tion. gravel. sand. sand. sand, sand. |

| Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent.
20319, 20640, 20642. .| Soi 0.5 2.9 | 3.1 11.6 | 7.0 | 56.6 18.1
20320, 20641, 20643... Ay ie | 1a 1.3 5.5 4.8 32.2 44.9

Silt. | Clay.
|

re
|

MUCK.

Muck is a black, mellow soil about 18 inches deep composed largely
of decayed vegetable matter, below which to a depth of 30 to 36
inches is a brown, soft, mucky or peaty material. Most of it is un-
derlain by sand at 3 feet,

Only two very small bodies of Muck were mapped in the county,
though possibly it may be found in spots elsewhere in some of the
swamps. The two areas mapped occur about 4 miles northwest of
Greenville, lying at the foot of the bluff line as the second bottom is
reached. These were originally ponds and have been filled in by the
growth and decay of reeds, grasses, leaves, and trees. The surface
is flat and can be easily drained by open ditches. Some of the type
has been ditched and cultivated.

The Muck is admirably suited to the production of onions, cab-
bage, celery, and corn. If properly drained, heavily limed, and fer-
tilized with a little acid phosphate and potash, very large yields may
be produced.

SWAMP.

The soil of the Swamp has no definite textural classification and
consists of a variety of soil classes and conditions. Along Tar River
the soil in some places is a black loam or sandy loam, and in others
a brown silty loam to a depth of 3 feet or more. In some localities
it is a dark, mucky sand grading into a light-gray, coarse sand.
Along Grindle Creek some of it is a black sandy loam underlain by
a sticky gray sand. Much of the Swamp if drained would be classed
with soils of the Portsmouth series, Most of it is highly charged
with organic matter.

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 31

Swamp is quite general over the county along streams. The largest
areas, varying in width from one-fourth to 1 mile, occur along
Tar River, Grindle Creek, Swift Creek, Little Contentnea Creek,
Tranters Creek, Clayroot Swamp, and in Grindle Pocoson. The
Swamp is all forested. The growth consists chiefly of black, sweet,
cotton, and pawpaw gums, cypress, poplar, ash, and oak. Much
valuable timber can be cut from these areas.

The elevation of the Swamp varies from 20 to 30 feet in the north-
ern and western parts of the county to near sea level in the extreme
eastern and southern sections. A considerable part of it is covered
with water, except in very dry periods in late summer and early
fall. The higher parts could be drained, especially along Grindle
and Swift creeks. Drainage of the lower parts would be impossible
except by diking and pumping.

When drained and limed the soil will produce large yields of corn
and oats. Some of it is the most fertile land in Pitt County, and needs
only to be reclaimed to be made valuable farming land. At the pres-
ent time its chief value lies in its timber, which is now being used to
some extent in the manufacture of veneer.

MARL.

The mar! deposits of Pitt County are formed of the shell remains
of marine life belonging, it is believed, to the Neocene period of the
Cenozoic era. During that period the ocean extended inland as far
as the present site of Raleigh, and Pitt County was entirely sub-
merged. The deposits, which vary in thickness from 2 or 3 feet to
20 feet, are found throughout the county at depths varying from a
few feet to 50 or 60 feet below the surface.

Only the deposits that lie near the surface can be worked econom-
ically. Most of the mar! is dug from pits in the low, swampy stream
areas. Considerable trouble is experienced from the pits filling with
water. The marl from such places is a dark bluish-gray color and
is composed of what is called blue mud with well-rotted shells
throughout, the amount of shells increasing with depth. There is a
great variety of shells in the same deposit and the different deposits
throughout the county show many variations in the species of shell
contained, ranging from exceedingly small shells to shells 5 or 6
inches across.

Some deposits near the surface aleng the banks of the Tar River
can be mined without any trouble from water. They are composed
largely of shells and in some places are colored red from an admix-
ture of clay. To the east of Grimesland and in bluffs close to the
streams emptying into the river other shallow deposits of red shell
marl occur. It contains a high percentage of lime and is used in

 
32 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1909.

compost to good effect. West of Hanrahan, near Little Contentnea
Creek, quite an extensive deposit of the same character can be mined
without much trouble from water. It is particularly rich in lime,
being composed of well-compacted shells with very little foreign
matter. Marl beds were also noticed east of Farmville and Winter-
ville, west and south of Falkland, and in other ,parts of the county.

The different deposits and different strata of the same deposit vary
greatly in their content of lime and sand. The percentage of car-
bonate of lime ranges from 2 per cent to as high as 70 or 80 per cent,
but the average is about 35 to 50 per cent, equal to 16 to 26 per cent
of quicklime. Some of the beds near Pactolus, north of Grifton
and near Contentnea Creek, contain some phosphate, which makes
them more valuable, especially when used on the Portsmouth soils
or for composting.

Marl is not dug in as large quantities as formerly. Some of the
landowners, consider it more expensive to hire negro labor than to
buy rock lime shipped from distant points. Most of the marl is dug
now by a number of men digging together on shares, the owner re-
ceiving half and the diggers the other half. The largest amounts of
marl and lime are used on new land, from 50 to 150 bushels of marl
or 25 to 50 bushels of lime per acre, according to the organic-matter
content of the soil. The dark Portsmouth soils require heavier
applications than the light-colored Norfolk soils.

Crops, such as peas; vetch, and clovers, should be grown and turned
under before marl is applied. By using marl in this way the decom-
position of the organic matter of the plants is facilitated; the nitri-
fying bacteria, which can not live in an acid soil, are enabled to
multiply better and tncrease the store of nitrates in the soil; the
assimilation of potassium and phosphorus by the plants is rendered
more easy; and the sandy soil becomes more coherent and retentive of
moisture.

It is thus seen that marl on sandy soils is of great benefit when used
after plenty of organic matter has been added. Organic matter is

best supplied by growing the nitrogen-collecting legume crops, such
. oS > > > f=] y
as field peas, peanuts, crimson clover, vetch, soy beans, etc. In the
heavy Portsmouth soils the organic matter is already present, so
there is not the need, at first, of growing legume crops as there is on
to) o> oS
the Norfolk soils.

DRAINAGE.

Large sections, particularly in the northern part of the county, are
poorly drained and require artificial drainage before successful farm-
ing can be carried on. These wet areas are all high, flat upland, or
depressed areas along the obstructed drainage courses. To drain and
open up these areas for cultivation would be too great an undertaking

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 83

for an individual or a small number of interested landowners, for the
main creeks must be cleaned out for several miles and an extensive
system of canals or ditches established to remove successfully the
water. To meet such conditions the state legislature of 1909 passed
a bill (chap. 442, Public Laws of North Carolina), whereby drainage
districts may be established. Under this law drainage projects should
be carried to great success in this as well as in other eastern counties
of the State.

By providing a sufficient number of ditches or canals leading into
the natural drainage ways and cleaning out the latter wherever
necessary, important areas could be well drained and made valu-
able farm land. It may be well to mention here important areas in
need of such drainage, with their elevation and the streams forming
natural outlets for drainage. Grindle Pocoson, the highest section
of country between Greenville and Conetoe, in Edgecombe County, is
50 feet above sea level and can be drained by Great Swamp and John-
sons Mill Run to the Tar River. East of Grindool it has an elevation
of 50 to 60 feet and can be drained into Tar River by Grindle and
Tranters creeks and their branches. Large bodies of land between
Fountain and California, with 80 to 85 feet elevation, can be drained
by Kitten and Tyson creeks into Tar River, or by Black Swamp and
Old Woman Branch into Little Contentnea Creek. Between Cali-
fornia and Frog Level, 80 feet elevation, by Harris Mill Run and
Greens Run into Tar River, or by Pinelog Branch and other small
runs into Little Contentnea Creek. Between Frog Level and Rens-
ton, 80 to 70 feet elevation, by Gum Swamp and Horsepen Swamp
into Swift Creek, or by small runs into Little Contentnea Creek.
Areas south of Tugwell, 90 to 95 feet elevation, by Jacob Branch and
Little Contentnea Creek; north of Coxville, 35 to 45 feet, by Clay-
root Swamp and Swift Creek; southwest of Ayden, 75 feet, and east
of Hanrahan, 60 to 65 feet, into Little Contentnea Creek by small
runs; north of Johnsons Mills, 30 feet, by Swift Creek; and “ The
Opening” east of Shelmerdine and the area northwest of Elmira
Crossroads, 50 feet elevation, by Clayroot and Creeping Creek
swamps into Swift Creek.

These wet areas are naturally rich and fertile, containing, as they
do, large amounts of organic matter, and when drained and limed
will prove very productive, especially for corn and oats and later for
cotton and other staple crops.

SUMMARY.

Pitt County contains 650 square milesand lies in the central-eastern
part of the State. With the exception of the swamps along streams,
some areas of Portsmouth soils, and the pocosons, the county pos-

 
34 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1909.

sesses good natural drainage. The Tar River flows across the county,
and this stream with its tributaries and the creeks in the southern
part of the county furnish good outlets for the drainage. The ele-
vation of the county varies from 121 feet down to practically sea
level, the average elevation being about 60 feet.

The county is well supplied with lines of transportation in all
directions, most of the towns having good railroad facilities. Green-
ville, the county seat and principal town, is a large tobacco market,
ranking third in the State. There are several other thriving towns
which are markets for the products of the county.

The white population is mostly of English descent, and is well dis-
tributed throughout the county. There is a considerable negro pop-
ulation. The county offers inducements to settlers, and particularly
invites a more intensive system of agriculture. Some of its most fer-
tile lands have not been reclaimed; these can be drained, cleared, and
easily cultivated. For unimproved land the value ranges from $5 to
$20 an acre, and for highly improved land from $30 to $100. Pitt
County could support many times its present population, if all of its
arable soil were properly managed.

The county lies in the Coastal Plain region. Its soils have been
derived from the weathering of the materials of the Columbia forma-
tion. Perhaps no county in eastern North Carolina possesses a
greater variety of soils or soils suited to a wider diversity of crops.

Eleven distinct types were recognized and mapped. The soils of
the Norfolk series are by far the most important and have been
classed as sand, fine sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, and very fine
sandy loam. Of these the Norfolk fine sandy loam is the most ex-
tensive and most valuable for farming purposes. It is a mellow soil
underlain by a friable sandy clay, and is peculiarly adapted to the
production of bright yellow tobacco. It is also well suited to cotton,
peanuts, Irish potatoes, and various truck and fruit crops. The
Norfolk sandy loam is also a valuable soil for tobacco, cotton, truck
crops, and peanuts. The Norfolk very fine sandy loam gives fairly
good yields of cotton, corn, tobacco, peanuts, and oats. The Norfolk
sand is well adapted to early truck crops, grapes, peaches, and some
other fruit, and the Norfolk fine sand, though not as productive, has
about the same crop adaptations. The Portsmouth soils comprise a
sandy loam, fine sandy loam, and a clay. Large areas of these soils
are still undeveloped. More of the Portsmouth fine sandy loam is
cultivated than any other soil in this series. These soils are adapted
to corn, oats, and grasses. Where well cultivated, large yields of
corn are secured. On well-drained areas of Portsmouth sandy loam
and Portsmouth fine sandy loam cotton and some truck crops do well.

There are a large number of crops grown in Pitt County. It is
the largest tobacco-producing county in the State, the average an-

SOIL SURVEY OF PITT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 35

nual yield being about 10,000,000 pounds. Cotton is a very im-
portant crop, more than 20,000 bales being annually produced. Corn,
Irish potatoes, and peanuts are the next crops in the order of im-
portance. Truck crops are grown to some extent. Sweet potatoes,
garden vegetables, melons, grapes, and orchard fruits are grown for
home use and in some cases for the local markets.

The mellow and easily tilled soils of this county, together with the
level to gently rolling surface, invite the use of all kinds of labor-
saving machinery.

; a ‘

The climate is mild. The summers are long and warm and the
winters are short and only moderately cold. There is a long grow-
ing season, thus affording opportunity for the production of a wide
‘ange of crops. Two or more crops can be grown each year on the
same land. Both. soil and climate favor a highly diversified agri-
culture.

The farmers, as a rule, are an intelligent class and in comfortable
circumstances. Some of them are very prosperous, as evidenced by
their home surroundings and farm improvements.

O

 
 
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