AN APPLE ORCHARD SURVEY OF ORLEANS COUNTY, NEW YORK. 487 



The trees on the sandy soils have a tendency to grow faster, and the 

 fruit seems to grow a little larger. Orchards on the sandy soils are likely 

 to be older before they begin to bear. A suggestion of this is given in 

 the practice of girdling the trees. Some years ago large numbers of trees 

 in orchards on the sandy soils were girdled by running a saw around the 

 trunk. Few on the Dunkirk clay were so treated. 



The sandy soils are easier to work and are better drained than the 

 heavier soils, but they require more manure. 



As a result of the work in both Orleans and Wayne county, it seems 

 that while a light loam is doubtless best, any well-drained soil in these 

 counties will raise good apples. The sandy soils are certainly better than 

 most of the publications on apple-growing would lead one to believe. 



FIG. 167. Mann. Greening type, keeps well, bears irregularly. 



Drainage. A careful study w.as made of the effect of poor drainage 

 on the orchards. The number of missing trees that had been killed by 

 water was usually counted and a careful estimate was made of those that 

 were badly damaged, and of those that, while not so seriously injured, 

 would still probably pay for tile drainage. A loss of about 8 to 10 per 

 cent can be traced to this cause ; 2.3 per cent of the trees have been killed 

 and 9.4 per cent more have been so badly damaged that they are of very 

 little value. According to the opinion of the inspectors, about 20 per cent 

 would pay for underdrainage all those marked poor, damaged or dead 

 in table 19. This does not mean one orchard in five, but one-fifth of the 

 area. Sometimes a whole orchard is damaged, but usually only a part 

 of the orchard needs drainage. 



The subject of tile drainage is one that is worthy of careful thought 

 on the part of Orleans county farmers, not only for orchards but for 

 farm crops. 



