76 STATE POMOLOQICAL SOCIETY. 



tree will spring up in a pasture, be neglected by its owner, save 

 perhaps to graft it, and yet make a better bearing tree than is 

 produced in most other towns in the State where they are sup- 

 posed to receive proper attention, but where lime is very deficient. 



IV. Loamy Soils, when pure, are composed of sand and clay 

 as a mixture, or as a compound called silicate of alumina. When 

 absolutely pure they are entirely unfitted for the cultivation of 

 crops, for clay rarely ever enters into the composition of plants, 

 while no plant we raise can live on sand alone. Loamy soils in 

 this State are rarely ever pure, but are more generally composed 

 of the fine sediment from the schistose soils of the second class, 

 and contain in variable proportions all the essential elements of a 

 good soil. These finer sediments are found on the lower levels of 

 land and constitute the most valuable soils for the cultivation of 

 the potato and the grasses. As these soils contain a large per 

 cent, of clay which is very retentive of moisture, they require 

 careful drainage for an orchard, otherwise tender varieties, espe- 

 cially, are liable to be winter killed. I have seen many fine 

 orchards in Cumberland county in this class of soils. The suc- 

 cessful culture of the apple and other fruits iu Bangor, and vicinity, 

 has been eflfected in this class of soils. 



Now, gentlemen, it seems to me that with a well defined idea of 

 these four classes of soils as types, we can by inspection, and by 

 our experience not only recognize them, but all the shades of 

 mixture from any two or more of these. Indeed, you already do 

 this in your practice, and I have only called your special atten- 

 tion to it, that your discussions on this subject iu the future may 

 have some uniform standard of reference. 



Composition of the Apple. 



I think you will now easily comprehend the relations of an 

 apple tree to the soil, if I should take one of the Roxbury Russets 

 that grow so fair and large in this vicinity, and analyze it. Sup- 

 pose I take 100 pounds of Russets, dry them and then burn them 

 till nothing is left but ashes. These would weigh about four 

 ounces, — a small, but a very precious substance that has been 

 taken out of the soil where they grew. We shall better appreci- 

 ate the illustration if I take 100 pounds of these ashes. There 

 will be found in them 13 pounds of phosphoric acid, 7 pounds of 

 sulphuric acid, 38 pounds of potash and 25 pounds of soda. There 



