212 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



Wherever there is a hardpan subsoil the roots of the trees find greac 

 difficulty in penetrating it and, being so near the surface, they Suon 

 use up the mineral food matter there, and also are more easily injured 

 by dry weather. But worst of all is that water stands in such a soil 

 and there is no surer way of injuring the vitality of the trees, if they 

 are not killed outright. The roots of fruit trees must have a certain 

 amount of air before they can grow and if they are submerged in 

 water a part of the time more or less injury will follow. It does 

 not matter so much about the exact character of the subsoil so long 

 as it is porous, but of course it must not be too open or it woul3 not 

 retain moisture. A soil that is underlain by a sand or a gravel bed, 

 unless it be several feet down, would be unfitted for growing fruit 

 trees. 



A rich soil is not necessary for growing good peaches. On the 

 contrary, land may be too rich, in which case the trees would spend 

 most of their energy in making good wood growth and bear but 

 little fruit. ^Moderately fertile soil is best adapted to peach growing. 

 The best soil in the State for peaches (as well as apples) is that 

 peculiar formation known as "loess," which is found along the bluffs 

 of the ]Missouri river, especially from about St. Charles to the north- 

 western corner of the State. There is some of this formation along 

 the ]\Iisissippi river from near St. Louis to the Iowa line. There are 

 also two areas of "'loess" soil in southeastern jMissouri, mostly in 

 Scott and Stoddard counties. The "loess" soil is very fine in texture, 

 but is quite porous and the roots of fruit trees in it penetrate to 

 almost incredible depths so that no ordinary drouth could seriously 

 affect them. Always lying along the bluffs, the "loess" lands of the 

 ^Missouri and Alississippi rivers are very rough, being much broken 

 by hills and hollows. Although hilly, this land does not wash badly, 

 the water flowing through the soil rather than over it. 



Aside from the "loess" soil, which is limited, the best peach 

 soils are to be found in the Ozark region of the south half of the 

 State. However, it must not be forgotten that there are many suc- 

 cessful orchards of that fruit in Northern Missouri, but conditions 

 are such that the latter region is not likely to become noted as a 

 peach center. In the Ozarks the surface soil is usually rather thin 

 and, as a rule, not well adapted to the growing of grain crops con- 

 tinuously, but with rare exceptions the entire region has a gravellv- 

 clay subsoil which makes it well adapted to the growing of fruit. 

 River bottom lands are not suitable for peach orchards. 



