SOILS FOR THE APPLE 197 



ter of exposure is of less account, and the grower can make the exist- 

 ence of the best soil the test of location of his orchard. At elevations 

 on the sides of high ranges where late cold storms are liable to rush 

 down from higher snow fields, protection from the usual course of such 

 storms, or from the course of cold winds generally, must be sought; 

 and directly up the coast, especially in the northern part of the State, 

 in certain places where the peach does not usually succeed even the 

 apple needs protection, and the benefit of all heat available, and then a 

 southerly or southeasterly exposure becomes desirable. The choice of 

 exposure is thus seen to be largely a local question and to be deter- 

 mined by a knowledge of local conditions. A newcomer in a region 

 can best learn these conditions by conference with older residents, or 

 by personal observation of older orchards. 



Soils for the Apple. Experience with the apple in California 

 confirms what has long been set forth as its choice of soils in older 

 regions. If one avoids an extremely light, sandy soil on the one hand, 

 and a very stiff clay or adobe on the other, he may plant apples on 

 almost any soil which allows extension of the roots to a considerable 

 depth without reaching standing water. The apple thrives in a moist 

 soil, but it must be well drained, naturally or otherwise. A soil which 

 may be called best for the apple is a deep, rich, moist, calcareous loam, 

 but the tree will thrive on coarser materials. The subsoil, whatever its 

 nature, must be sound and open to the passage of moisture. The most 

 unfavorable condition for the tree is a subsoil of clay which holds water. 

 There is some difference in varieties as to choice of soil. The Yellow 

 Bellflower, for instance, will do well on a lighter soil than the Yellow 

 Newtown Pippin. 



PROPAGATION OF THE APPLE 



The apple is chiefly propagated by root-grafting upon apple seed- 

 ling roots either whole roots or root pieces. Budding is also practiced 

 to a certain extent. For dwarf trees the Paradise stock is used. Re- 

 peated trials with working the apple on the pear, chiefly by top graft- 

 ing, have secured growth of limited life but without fruiting. 



The resistance of certain roots to the woolly aphis has been fully 

 demonstrated by local experience in the use of the Northern Spy and 

 Winter Majetin, chiefly the former. Seedlings of Northern Spy can 

 not be relied upon as resistant to the woolly aphis. It is necessary to 

 get a root actually grown from the Northern Spy wood. The best 

 way to get a start is to buy some Northern Spy trees from some rep- 

 utable nurseryman, specifying that they shall be Northern Spy root 

 and top. With these resistant roots and wood growth for scions or 

 cuttings can be grown. Resistant trees are made by root grafting the 

 scion of the variety which it is desired to propagate upon a piece of 

 Northern Spy root and then being careful that the scion does not send 

 out roots of its own, but is wholly dependent upon the Northern Spy 

 root. It is customary with nurserymen selling resistant trees to save 

 the root pieces which are removed in digging and packing for subse- 

 quent propagation. It is also possible to get a resistant tree by start-. 



