SOILS AND EXPOSURES 41 



1. The importance of exposure has been greatly 

 exaggerated. In a large majority of cases the pomts 

 of the compass may be ignored. 



2. Nevertheless there are exceptions to this rule. 

 These exceptions apply to particular localities. The 

 question is an extremely local one. 



3. Slope is most important in middle latitudes, 

 and in districts where weather damage (either from 

 spring frosts or winter sun scald) is most frequent. 



4. South slopes may be desirable in infrequent 

 cases, especially for early ripening varieties, or 

 where high color is a matter of prime importance. 



5. North slopes may be best in a few cases where 

 the principal dangers are climatic, especially the 

 danger of sun scald. 



6. Most persons who consider exposure to be a 

 factor in the location of peach orchards prefer east 

 or west slopes, or frequently quartering slopes, as 

 northeast, or northwest. 



7. Under any circumstances a moderate slope is 

 to be preferred to a steep one, both with respect to 

 the effect of the slope itself and especially with 

 regard to the management of the soil. 



ALTITUDE 



The discussion of exposures Is frequently con- 

 fused with the question of altitudes. Sloping land 

 gives much better air drainage than flat land; and 

 high sloping land Is therefore commonly preferred 

 for orchards of all kinds, simply because the cold 

 moist air easily runs off such territory to lower 

 levels. This problem of air drainage, however, is 

 quite a different one from the question of exposure 

 toward particular points of the compass. All grow- 

 ers prefer land slightly elevated and such as lies so 



