Commercial Fruit Growing 5 



But Nature does not seem to have opened all her heart to the agri- 

 cultural chemist. Soil analyses must be taken in conjunction with the 

 harvested results of observation and experience. They form a valuable 

 indication to those with some practical knowledge; they are in no sense 

 sure guides to the blind. By way of illustration, let the reader compare the 

 analysis below with the one just given. 



ANALYSIS 

 Soil dried at 21 2 F. 



Loss on ignition 7 '8 percent. 



Silicates 77*4 



Lime (oxide of lime) T62 



Potash -26 



Phosphoric acid ... ... ... ... trace only 



Nitrogen ... ... ... ... *526 per cent. 



Equal to ammonia ... ... '638 



Now, to the lay mind at least, there appears very little difference in the 

 proportions of the important constituents existing in these two soils of 

 which we have the analyses. 



Yet the former is what a farmer would call a light soil, liable to scorch 

 in summer. The latter is of altogether a different physical nature a 

 farmer would call it good holding land and would choose it in preference. 



The former will grow all kinds of fruit well, and bring them in a week 

 earlier than the latter. The latter will not grow any of the better kinds 

 of Pears, nor some varieties of Apples, while Plums, though growing 

 vigorously on it, are specially subject to silver-leaf blight. It is possible 

 to attempt to generalize too far, as will be seen when the different varieties 

 of fruit come to be discussed, for the preferences of fruit for soil cover a 

 pretty wide range of differences. (For the chemical composition of various 

 fruit and vegetable crops see Vol. I. p. 109.) 



Having settled the matter of soil, the next important question is that of 

 site. Leaving considerations of market and carriage to be dealt with later, 

 and confining ourselves to topographical conditions only, choose a site 

 where there is a free current of air. Sheltered valleys where the air 

 currents, finding no outlet, die down into calm repose, are no places for 

 commercial fruit growing, for here it is that spring frosts, the "terror by 

 night " of the fruit grower, are most frequent and most severe. It is un- 

 fortunate that it is so, because in such places the soil, either from the 

 weathering of surrounding hills, or from alluvial deposits, will probably 

 be the most productive that could be found. A tableland from 100 to 

 400 ft. above sea level is probably the best situation. Of slopes, those 

 facing east and north are the least adapted, the best is south-west. The 

 reason for this is that the damage by frost is greatly increased by the sun 

 shining on the fruit and causing a rapid thaw. 



Scientifically the explanation is that the frost crystals for their forma- 



