SOILS AND EXPOSURES 35 



might be thus stated : A surface soil rang-ing from 

 sandy loam to a friable, mellow, light loam from 8 

 to 12 inches deep, underlain by a subsoil ranging 

 from heavy, sandy loam to very friable clay loam. 

 Light, sandy soils underlain by subsoils equally light 

 are in much less favor than formerly. They are too 

 susceptible to lack of moisture to maintain a uni- 

 form tree grov^th, and in a dry 3^ear the average 

 grower rarely secures fruit equal in size to that 

 from a soil somewhat more loamy. With a loam 

 surface soil the subsoil should not be heavier than 

 a loam. A friable and mellow clay loam or loam 

 subsoil, on the other hand, is desirable where the 

 surface is a sandy loam or sand, unless early ripen- 

 ing is desired, in which case a lighter subsoil might 

 enable one to gain a day or two in the marketing 

 of early varieties — an advantage which at times 

 would prove very profitable. 



"Good color of fruit is most easily obtained on 

 light, sandy soils. Good size of fruit and yield to 

 the acre are most easily secured on soils more loamy, 

 such as fine, sandy loams and light, friable loams. 

 On the latter soils, well-balanced soil management 

 and open pruning will help the coloring. In general 

 such a combination will probably yield the highest 

 profits, though varieties vary somewhat in their 

 adaptation to soils.'* 



Taking up the country throughout, a great diver- 

 sity of soils are available for peach growing, al- 

 though they nearly all fall under the broad defini- 

 tions given above. In the New England states light, 

 sandy or gravelly soil is nearly always preferred. 

 This is commonly spoken of as light, sandy loam, 

 though it must be remembered that the soils of New 

 England are so diverse and are located in such small 

 areas that it is very difficult to specify closely. 



