ORCHARDS. 61 



worthless on another. They also vary the time of ripening, 

 and materially aiFect the tree in growth, health, size, and lon- 

 gevity. The choice of a proper soil is, doubtless, not suffi- 

 ciently attended to. Orchardists of judgment and experience 

 agree, that apples growing in a loose soil produce much more 

 rich and generous liquor, than those that grow in a stiff clayey 

 soil; but, if cultivation and mulching is properly attended to, 

 provided the soil is well drained, the most satisfactory growth 

 and fruiting may easily be obtained from such ^ stiff , clayey 

 soil.' " The author is of opinion that, if properly managed, 

 it cannot be excelled — it only requires such manures as have 

 a tendency to loosen the soil, and more frequent and better 

 cultivation. 



In regard to clayey soils, a writer says: "I have visited 

 many fruit raisers to examine their orchards and the products. 

 The evidence obtained leaves no doubt in my mind, but that a 

 clayey loam is the only soil which will admit the highest de- 

 gree of cultivation for the apple without endangering its keep- 

 ing qualities." 



In the ''''Southwest Mountain " section of Virginia, just re- 

 ferred to, the soil is of a fine Spanish-brown color, approach- 

 ing to red — when wet, very tenacious — when dry, spongy and 

 puffy; and, when new or fresh, produces the largest and finest 

 crops of corn, oats, tobacco, and wheat, without manure. 

 This is the character of the soil that produced the "Albemarle 

 Pippin'' and the "Nelson Pilot apple," the most valuable of 

 all winter apples. 



The rich alluvion deposited by annual floods; the sandy 

 slopes of the low lands, furnishing little else than silica ; lime- 

 stone cliffs, affording along their sides the richest of fruit 

 soils; high clayey ridges, requiring thorough tilth; and broad 

 river bottoms with deep black soil, are all congenial, and well 

 adapted to the general culture of the apple. But all these 

 various soils are disposed to favor the growth of particular 

 varieties, and it should be the business of the horticulturist to 

 classify and point out to the fruit grower and farmer the ad- 

 vantages to be derived from a discriminating selection. 



Dr. J. A. Warder, the distinguished horticulturist of the 



