An Apple Orchard Survey of Ontario County 



189 



SOIL TYPES 



The chief soil types are the gravelly and sandy loams. About 60 per 

 cent of the orchards come under these headings. Table 16 shows the 

 distribution of the orchards according to soil types: 



TABLE 16. Distribution of Orchards According to Soil Types 



Soil type 



Loam 



Gravelly loam 



Gravelly sandy loam 



Sandy loam 



Fine sandy loam. . . . 



Clay loam 



Silt loam 



Orchards 



Relation of soil type to yield and income 

 Table 17 shows that it is the lighter, well-drained soil types, such as 

 the gravelly and sandy loams, which produce the highest yields and in- 

 comes. The highest average yield, 63.3 barrels, occurs on the sandy 

 loam. The lowest yields and incomes are produced on the heavier soils, 

 the clay and silt loams, which produce about 49 barrels per acre with 

 an income of $78 to $81 — figures much below the general average. 



TABLE 17. Relation of Soil Type to Yield and Income per Acre 



DRAINAGE 



Since much of the soil in Ontario cou-~^.y contains considerable amounts 

 of sand and gravel, well-drained soil types abound. Moreover, the con- 

 tour of the land in many cases aids in the natural draining of the soil. 

 Yet 50 per cent of the orchards are classified as having artificial drainage, 

 which consists almost wholly of tile drains, and about 14 per cent more 



