No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 393 



THINNING 



We always thin the fruit hard. One year took off over 4,000 

 bushels. We were at it three weeks. The neighbors said, "New- 

 comer is a crank," but we had nice fruit. By thinning the fruit 

 so that peaches are from four to six inches apart on the limbs we 

 grow fine large specimens for fancy packing which bring highest 

 prices. If you are doubtful as to the wisdom of thinning try it on 

 six Elberta trees leaving the next six unthinned and note closely 

 the result at picking time. The improved condition of the present 

 crop is not by any means the only advantage of thinning. Per- 

 haps the most important of all is the protection of the tree against 

 breaking as it is almost sure to do when overloaded, and against 

 the robbing of vitality which would impair its future usefulness. 

 Do not wear out your trees by allowing them to over-bear. 



PICKING AND PACKING 



When harvesting the crop, all fruit is hauled to the packing 

 house. I very much prefer ladies to do the packing. Would not 

 give a cent for a man to pack peaches for me. Never saw a. grower 

 yet who could pack peaches like a lady. She has more taste and 

 neatness about it, and will put up packages that will sell for more 

 money every time. We use the half-bushel Delaware basket and 

 the (Georgia Carrier. All fancy and extra fancy grades are packed 

 in carriers. 



SOILS OF THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN DISTRICT AND THEIR 

 ADAPTATION TO VARIETIES OF APPLES 



BY H. J. WILDER, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 



It is difficult to describe in a half hour's time the adaptation of 

 various kinds of soil to the many varieties of apples. We are not 

 accustomed to talk about the soil even though trying to get our 

 living from growing crops in it. We are not yet in the habit of 

 thinking in soil terms. Some dav we shall do this. And the 

 growers of special crops, the fruit growers, the vegetable growers, 

 etc., will be the first to realize the need for so doing. The numer- 

 ous requests for soil facts that come to the Bureau of Soils from 

 leading orchardists indicate that the desire for a much more inti- 

 mate knowledge of the soil is already here. But uieanwhile it is 

 no easy matter to come at once to a common understanding so 

 that a given statement means the same thing to all of us. So to- 

 day I am going to talk first about soils in general leaving the mat- 

 ter of \j\)Q adaptation until later. 



In studying soils, as in other things, we begin by making a 

 few large groups. This is commonly done by classifying the rocks 

 from which the soils have been derived. Thus we have limestone 



