VALLEY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 327 



friction ; in this ease more power must be applied before we can get 

 work from the machine, and the same is true of the tree, more root 

 [tower must be put in action before we obtain fruit. 



Roots do their best under special conditions of temi)erature, 

 moisture and soil. A low tem])erature checks vegetable growth, in- 

 jures and sometimes kills the jtlant. A high temi)erature causes a 

 greater evaporation of water through the leaves than the roots can 

 supjily by absorption. In this way our trees and plants are often 

 injured in one summer, the effects of which are manifest in the 

 diminished crops in subsequent seasons. 



The quantity of moisture in the soil is another important factor 

 in the healthy growth of jilant roots. Fruit growing on wet soil 

 cannot be successful. Such soil is comi^acted. air cannot circulate 

 through it. and the plant food in it is not utilized. 



On high land during the continuance of a drouth, especially if 

 such laud has a gravelly or sandy sub-soil, the want of moisture may 

 partially or wholly dry up the roots, thus injuring or killing the 

 trees. Again, trees or small fruit plants may be in a soil poor in the 

 necessary elements required for the growth of wood, or fruit, or both 

 combined. 



Having imperfectly described what may occur under the diil'er- 

 ent conditions of temperature, moisture and soil, it may be well to 

 ask if there i.s a way to avoid, or at least lessen, the evils occurring 

 under the unfavorable conditions mentioned. If a healthy root 

 growth jtroduees healthy growth of tree, let us see if we can secure 

 the tirst in order to obtain the second. Taking the fruit condition 

 in sections of country where a very low temperature is of frequent 

 recurrence, we njust limit our selections of fruits to the kinds known 

 to be hardy. Fortunately there are many kinds of hardy trees and 

 small fruits, which those who have attended the meetings of our 

 Society or read its proceedings already know, so that a repetition of 

 names is not required here. 



In regard to moisture, many of the low lands are too wer. vet 

 in most cases such lands can be adajtted to fruit culture, both large 

 and small. 1>y properly located tile drains. 



For fruit growing on high lands, select such as have a clay sub 

 soil, then in case drouth occurs, keep the cultivator going. During 

 dry weather, for land that is ill fruit, I know of nothing better than 

 freijuent stirring (d' the surface soil. This jtrevents the surface from 

 hardening and cracking, which prevents the escajte of the moisture 

 which is constantly coming uj) from below, thus supjjlying food to 

 the roots so necessary at this time. 



Nicholas Ohmer. the disseminator of the (iregg rasjilterry. and 

 one of the gui<liiig lights of the noted Montg(Uuery ('ouiity (Ohio) 

 Horticultural Society, succeeded, durijig a very dry season, in obtain- 

 a good crop of berries l)y kee[)ing his cultivators going through his 

 fruit grounds, while some others, on land ecpially as good, but with- 

 out such cultivation, gathered only a small crop (jf i)oor fruit. 



