FORTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. 141 



exposure are much more subject to winter killing and sunscald. Gen- 

 erally, northeni or eastern exposures are preferred by fruit growers, 

 because they usually have strong soils, are more retentive of moisture, 

 and are not so susceptible to winter injury or late spring frosts. 



It must be understood that some fruits are hardier than others. The 

 apricot is so tender that it seldom does well in Michigan. As long as 

 winters are mild it may do fairly well, but it is almost certain to be 

 killed by the first severe winter, even though planted on the most favor- 

 able location. The peach is nearly as tender, while the plum follows 

 very closely. Apples, pears and quinces are not as tender or as sensitive 

 to extremes of cold as pe^iches and plums, and hence it is not as impera- 

 tive that they be given such careful consideration in the location of a 

 site for an orchard. Their blossoming later in the spring is also another 

 point in their favor. 



The different fruits require different types of soil, but all do their best 

 on a strong, deep, well-drained soil. Trees cannot thrive upon soils 

 that are depleted, shallow, or poor in texture, w^here an impervius hard- 

 pan is near the surface, or where they have "wet feet." Examples of 

 failures, due to these conditions, are not uncomiuon. Stunted trees, or 

 blank spaces in the low spots of an orchard usually indicate poor soil 

 drainage or poor air drainage or both. Artificial drainage may some- 

 times be resorted to, in order to make a location suitable for an orchard, 

 but ordinarily such a procedure is not satisfactory, especially in a com- 

 mercial orchard. For a home orchard, which it is highly desirable to 

 have near the house, artificial drainage may be frequently used to take 

 advantage of a desirable location. 



A soil can be too dry for fruit trees. Such is the condition of some 

 of Michigan's sandy soil, which is so porous and devoid of humus that it 

 cannot retain moisture. Trees on such soil invariably lack in vigor, 

 productivity and hardiness. In the case of peaches.* ''Either extreme 

 of moisture — excessive wetness or excessive dryness — gives favorable 

 conditions for winter killing. The wet soil is conducive to sappiness in 

 a tree, and also freezes deeply. Severe cold, especially if alternating 

 with warm weather, or accompanied with dry winds, causes evaporation 

 of water from the trees, and if the soil be so dry as not to furnish mois- 

 ture to replace the evaporated water, harmful results ensue." 



The soil that is shallow, or devoid of plant food, cannot be expected 

 to produce an orchard and keep it in vigorous health and productivity. 

 While plant food can be added to the soil, it is a factor which the 

 orchardist must not overlook or underestimate, because it is just as 

 necessary that an orchard produce a good strong growth in the first few 

 years of its existence as after it comes into bearing. Scores of orchards 

 in Michigan, today, are unhealthy and unproductive simply because they 

 were planted upon soils deficient in plant food. 



Soils best adapted to apjjles may vary from a rich, sandy loam to a 

 clay loam, while pears prefer a clay loam or a pure clay, provided it is 

 of a good texture. Plums and cherries usually do best on a medium 

 loam, and peaches on a soil ranging from a sandy nature to a medium 

 clay loam. While it is conceded that the nature of a soil may be in- 

 fluenced greatly and its adaptability to different fruits made possible to 



*Hedrick, U. P., Mich. State Hort. Soc. Rept, 1907, p. 56. 



