344 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



About half to two thirds of this valley has now been mapped, and 

 we have found that the range of soil types is greater than in almost 

 any similar region in the United States. This unusually wide range 

 of soils permits of the growing of a much greater variety of fruits 

 and other product'^ than if there were only a few kinds present. The 

 soil types are numerous enough to permit of the growing of any kind 

 of fruit possible in the climate, but all varieties can not be expected to 

 be equally successful in any part of the valley and on any kind of soil. 

 In our studies in this State, and elsewhere in the United States, we 

 have observed that each kind of fruit, like other crops, has a soil and 

 climatic environment in which it reaches its greatest perfection, and 

 when grown on a type differing greatly from that to which the variety 

 had adjusted its functions of growth, failure frequently results and one 

 or more of the essential (pialities is missing or is replaced b}^ other 

 inferior or superior ones. So if we have a desirable variety possessing 

 qualities which we wish to retain, we must grow the variety in a soil and 

 climate like or nearly like those in which it obtained its desirable qual- 

 ities. In the past we have been concerned with quantity mainly in fruit 

 production, and as long as that idea prevailed, little real improve- 

 ment could be made. The future demand w\\\ deal with quality, more 

 all the time, and when this takes precedence, the influence of the soil 

 t^'pe will l)e carefully studied before each planting. To illustrate: A 

 very high (juality syrup of light am1>er color and closely resemliling 

 maple syrup is produced in Wisconsin on a type of soil called Coloma 

 sand. The acid nature, very low humus content, excessive drainage, 

 high quartz content, and loose incoherent condition of this type appear 

 essentially important to the high quality of the syrup produced, for 

 when the sorghum is grown on other types of moderate to high hunuis 

 content or even on the same type Avhen organic matter or lime is 

 added, the syrup produced is of dark color, different in flavor, much 

 less desirable and commands a much lower price in the market. This. 

 is one of the many products now produced where quality entirely 

 determines its commercial value and in which the soil type is the 

 controlling factor. 



To illustrate further I will cite you to a case in the State of 

 Delaware. While working on the relation of fruits to soil types in 

 that state, it was observed that certain farmers were making large 

 amounts of money producing certain varieties of strawberries, while 

 adjoining neighbors were losing money with the same varieties although 

 they were equally diligent in the care given the crops. 



Two soil types were present, namely, the Norfolk sandy loam and 

 the Portsmouth sandy loam. The former is a well drained brown 

 soil, moderate to low in humus, quickly warmed up in springtime, and 

 occupies a position from one to several feet higher than the latter. The 

 Portsmouth sandy loam is a low, damp. cool, black soil, very high in 

 humus. The Gandy berry thrives and develops unusually desirable 

 qualities on this soil, but becomes a miserable failure on the Norfolk 

 soil. The Parson's Beauty. Chesapeake, and one or two other varieties 

 reach great perfection on the well drained, warm, moderately fertile 

 Norfolk soil, but fail on the low, damp, cool Portsmouth type. 



Farmers did not know the cause for this and kept on trying to 

 srow the Gandy, a most attractive market variety, on the Norfolk 



