120 HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK. 



II. Variations in the species favorable to greater hardiness 

 to cold. 



In presenting and discussing the information obtained, I 

 shall advance few or no theories but shall simply set forth the 

 facts that have been reported to me. 



I. 



The factors of environment and of cultural treatment noted 

 as affecting acclimatization are as follows : 



INFLUENCE OF SOIL ON HARDINESS. 



It is usually held that trees are hardiest on sandy, gravelly 

 or stony soils. In the peach orchards of Michigan the growers 

 consulted held this to be the case almost without exception. But 

 in New York the kind of soil seems to make but little difference, 

 providing it is warm and dry. If these two factors be favorable 

 peaches seem to thrive in any of the soils of New York. The 

 difference in opinion between the peach growers of Michigan 

 and New York arises from the fact that the great belt in which 

 peaches are grown in the first-named State has a sandy soil, 

 and growers there have scarcely tried the peach on clays, loams 

 or shales upon which some of the best orchards in New York 

 are located. 



But this point is made clear: the peach must have a zvanii, 

 dry soil to secure the greatest possible hardiness inherent in the 

 species. Only in such a soil can trees make a strong, firm, 

 well-matured growth that seems to be conducive to hardiness. 



Many growers in both States speak of the desirability of a 

 gravelly subsoil to secure a hardy tree. Such a subsoil seems 

 to be conducive to the warmth and dryness of roots and it is 

 probable that so far as hardiness is concerned it matters little 

 whether this subsoil be overlaid with sand, gravel, loam, clay or 

 combinations of these. 



DOES THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE IN THE SOIL IN WINTER AFFECT 

 THE HARDINESS OF THE PEACH? 



The evidence as regards this point is clear. Either extreme 

 of moisture — excessive wetness or excessive dryness — gives 



