Piedmont soils are generally clay-like (Ultisols). They are moderately fertile. In some areas, they have suffered from erosion . They have also been farmed heavily. This is mostly in the South where cotton was the main crop. In the central Piedmont region of North Carolina and Virginia, tobacco is the main crop. In the north region, the land is used for many different things. These include orchards, dairying, and general farming.