APPLE GROWING IN CALIFORNIA. 39 



desirable qualities. ' ' This is illustrated nicely by Mr. Nelson, in the case 

 of certain varieties of strawberries grown in Delaware, in the following 

 words : 



"Two soil types were present, namely: the Norfolk sandy loam and 

 the Portsmouth sandy loam. The former is a well drained brown soil, 

 moderate to low in humus, quickly warmed up in springtime, and 

 occupies a position from one to several feet higher than the latter. The 

 Portsmouth sandy loam is a low, damp, cool, black soil, very high in 

 humus. The Gandy berry thrives and develops unusually desirable 

 qualities on this soil, but becomes a miserable failure on the Norfolk 

 soil. The Parson's Beauty, Chesapeake, and one or two other varieties 

 reach *rreat perfection on the well drained, warm, moderately fertile 

 Norfolk soil, but fail on the low, damp, cool Portsmouth type. 



"Farmers did not know the cause for this and kept on trying to grow 

 the Gandy, a most attractive market variety, on the Norfolk sandy loam 

 and thousands of dollars were lost every year for years in this attempt 

 alone. After a careful observation of the soils present it was decided to 

 trace out the origin of the Gandy variety and see, if possible, why it was 

 so partial to a certain kind of soil and so sensitive to others. After some 

 time the variety was traced to New Jersey, and it was discovered that 

 the first seedling had originated on the same type of soil on which it was 

 thriving in Delaware." 



This striking illustration will no doubt apply to apples equally as 

 well as to strawberries. 



PREVIOUS CROPPING. 



Many fine orchards are growing on soil which was virgin at the time 

 1 hey were planted. It is equally true that many failures may be traced 

 to lack of preparation of the soil for trees. It is safe to say that 

 Topping previous to setting trees in order to better prepare the ground 

 is always best. There is no better crop to grow previous to planting 

 - than alfalfa. Our arid, western soils are usually low in nitrogen, 

 which may be supplied, in abundance by alfalfa. This crop, because of 

 its root system, prepares the soil for tree roots better, probably, than 

 anything else that can be grown. Trees set on alfalfa ground usually 

 make a very quick and healthy growth. The writer has sometimes 

 advised the cropping of land in alfalfa for a couple of years before 

 planting apples, rather than gain two years in the growth of trees by 

 puttinjr out the orchard at once. The gain in time may be completely 

 compensated for iu a few years by the extra growth and productiveness 

 of the trees following alfalfa. Other legumes, e. g., peas, beans, vetches 

 and the clovers may be used to advantage in preparing the soil for trees, 

 hut none of these possess the merits of the deeply rooted alfalfa. 



LEVELING. 



Many an orchardist has experienced much difficulty in irrigating his 

 orchard, because of inattention to leveling the land before the trees 

 were planted. A scraper is very often necessary for use in cutting 

 down high places and filling in low. When the land has been made 

 approximately level by the use of the scraper, it should be dragged or 

 leveled by means of a common frame, field drag or some other suitable 



