168 State Horticvltural Society. 



As a rule, the rocks are of a loose, crumbly nature, and, where the 

 soil is not too light and thin, peaches and grapes do suprisingly 

 well. In other sections the soil is sometimes quite heavy and has 

 something of the gumbo nature. Such locations, and others where 

 there is a stiff hardpan, appear to give quite unsatisfactory re- 

 sults with all kinds of fruit. The nature of the soil seems to vary 

 widely, even within short distances, so that no general rule can be 

 given regarding the adaptation of a given section. If sufficiently 

 heavy, the so-called red soil, which is very common in Southern 

 Missouri, seems well adapted for fruit growing. 



In Benton county, Arkansas, the soil is rather stronger, and 

 when the orchards are planted upon land that is somewhat ele- 

 vated and rolling, and the stiffer and wet soils are avoided, the con- 

 ditions will be found very favorable for the growing of apples, but 

 the peach crop is less certain. 



CARE OF YOUNG ORCHARDS. 



For the most part, apple trees are planted 25 feet apart and 

 two or three crops of corn are taken off. This gives excellent re- 

 sults, and of several thousand acres of young orchards that were 

 noted, there were few, if any, that were treated in this way that 

 did not have a dark green foliage and were not making a satis- 

 factory growth. Where the land was suited to and was growing 

 a fair crop of corn, the growth of the trees was as good as could 

 be asked for. 



In the older orchards a greater variety of methods was noted, 

 and the results varied all the way from complete success to equally 

 complete failures. Although few, if any, of the orchards were re- 

 ceiving what would be considered clean culture in the northern 

 states, and it is doubtful if this would be advisable, the orchards 

 that were making the best showing, so far as the growth of the 

 trees and the quantity and quality of the crop were concerned, have 

 been plowed as often as once in two or three years and seeded to 

 clover or cowpeas. In some cases it has answered very well, after the 

 land has been in clover, to plow it in the winter and, after work- 

 ing it once or twice, to allow a crop of weeds to grow as a cover 

 crop. When planted in a suitable soil and location, orchards han- 

 dled in this way are in a very satisfactory condition. 



LACK OF CULTIVATION APPARENT. 



On the other hand, a majority of the growers seem to be of the 

 opinion that all that is necessary is to plant the trees and pick the 



