302 AGRICULTURE ON THE PACIFIC SLOPE 



are found in middle and southern Europe and adjacent 

 parts of Asia, as well as in North America. Apples 

 like .rather a cool climate, and in California grow best 

 in the coast region and in the foothills of the Sierra 

 Nevada, at 3500 to 4500 feet elevation. Farther north, 

 excellent apples are grown in Oregon, especially on 

 the Umpqua and Rogue Rivers. Stone fruits, par- 

 ticularly plums, prunes, and apricots, are largely 

 grown in nearly all the valleys of California, together 

 with pears, which require a somewhat warmer climate 

 than apples, and rather deeper soils. Stone fruits, 

 apricots excepted, are also very successfully grown 

 in Oregon and Washington, and so are pears and ap- 

 ples, notably in southern Idaho. All these fruits are 

 shipped to the Eastern states in large quantities (espe- 

 cially from California), some fresh, and others dried 

 or canned. 



Orchard fruits are always grafted so as to have the de- 

 sired kinds, varying according to climate, soils, market, and 

 soon we must have different stocks to graft on, also, for dry, 

 sandy, and alkali soils, and for moist or heavy soils. Graft- 

 ing on quince stock is frequently done to make dwarf trees 

 of pears and apples. Apricots do not do well on almond 

 stock, but peach and almond may be grafted upon each other. 



Standard height fruit trees are usually planted twenty-five 

 to thirty feet apart; to secure a high quality of fruit the trees 

 should be regularly and properly pruned. The ground 

 should be kept well cultivated, and in California it is usual 

 to keep a surface layer of fine earth five to six inches deep, 



