SUMMER MEETING. " 67 



solution that has been obtained from surface debris and humus, to feed 

 the roots of growing plants. This is particularly beneficial to trees 

 and plants that send their roots deep into the soil. When trees obtain 

 their root food near the surface, as is well known, they are easily in- 

 fluenced by protracted dry weather. 



A geological survey will determine the physical conditions of a 

 given soil. Such a survey, unless unusual conditions are present, can 

 be made by afiy intelligent person. A few simple directions will assist 

 in making a survey of this kind. 



In the selection of a site for an orchard, remember the following: 



1. Avoid a soil that contains a great quantity of organic matter. 

 Such soils cause great wood growth, but produce a small quantity of 

 fruit, and that is usually of inferior quality. Trees grown on such 

 soils are more tender and liable to injury from frosts or extremely cold 

 weather. 



2. Avoid a subsoil of shale, soap-stone or any material that is 

 impervious to water. "Hard-pan" and "gumbo" are very objec- 

 tionable. 



3. While sandy soils are porous, and are easily penetrated by 

 water, they are usually objectionable, faj They radiate more heat 

 than do limestone soils. This causes premature blossoming or expan- 

 sion of ihe fruit buds, and consequently liability to injury from frosts. 

 {bj Insects thrive best and do more damage on sandy soils, fcj While 

 the radiation of heat is much greater in the daytime, the consequent 

 evaporation of moisture causes the nights to be much cooler. These 

 extremes of temperature are unfavorable to the growth of perfect 

 fruit. Sandy soils are sometimes admirably adapted to the growth of 

 peaches and grapes. But a location should be selected on the east or 

 northeast slope of a hill. Such a location might not be open to all of 

 the above objections. 



4. Avoid ashy soils. faJ They are deficient in iron — a necessary 

 requisite for finely flavored and highly colored fruit, fbj They gener- 

 ally contain an excess of potassium or other soluble salts left from the 

 evaporation of water. This is especially true where the sub-drainage 

 is not good. 



5. Select soils that are porous down to bed-rock, Xo solid bed- 

 rock should lie nearer the surface than ten feet. If, however, the bed- 

 rock is full of crevices and interstices, or is of such a porous nature 

 that water can easily penetrate it, perhaps much less depths of loose 

 soil above it will do. 



6. Soils above limestone that contains caves and subterranean 

 •streams are adapted to the growth of fruit. 



