2 8 THE FRUIT GROWERS GUIDE. 



other rocks by meteoric agencies, and transported to their existing positions by winds, 

 waters, or ancient glacial agencies. Besides these there are soils of organic origin, 

 such as peat earths and vegetable mould or humus, which are to a great extent also 

 of animal origin or elaboration. Indeed, in all superficial soils there is a certain amount 

 of vegetable and animal matter, the decay of plants, the droppings of animals, the 

 exuvia3 of insects, the casts of the earth-worm, and the like, conferring upon them 

 that dark, friable, and loamy character so indicative of richness and fertility." (Page's 

 Geology.) Soils, however, partake necessarily of the chemical character and composition 

 of the rocks on which they rest, and to the crumbling of which they owe their origin. 

 Generally if the rock be a sandstone the soil is sandy, if a claystone it is more or less 

 stiff clay, if a limestone it is more or less calcareous, and if the rock is a mixture a 

 similar mixture is observed in the soil. The chemical constituents of soils, therefore, 

 must weigh with cultivators. It is easy to ignore considerations of this character when 

 natural conditions favour, but where they do not, a knowledge of the soil components 

 is of immense benefit in pointing the way to a satisfactory and economical employment 

 of artificial aids for making good existing defects, so as to insure profitable crops of 

 fruit and a good return on investments. 



The inorganic bases of soils, it will be seen, consist of substances derived from 

 various kinds of rocks, the bulk of which are silica, clay, and lime mixed in no definite 

 proportion. They afford, together with organic remains independent of saline matters, 

 a diversity of soils. For technical purposes soils are classified ; but it will only be 

 necessary here to refer to those most familiar to cultivators, namely, sandy, clayey, 

 marly, calcareous and peats. 



Sandy soils are extremely porous, affording a ready passage to air and water. ' When 

 they contain little lime, alumina, or humus they are very poor, yet with an addition 

 of 3 to 5 per cent, of humus become available for cherries, pears and strawberries. 

 With an addition of clay or marl, sandy soils are rendered more compact, and retain 

 moisture for a longer period ; still they are too poor for general fruit culture, especially 

 from a commercial point of view. Nothing short of loamy sands should content the 

 fruit grower, those containing 20 to 30 per cent, of clay, and not much less than 5 

 per cent, each of lime and humus. A. strong loam consists of 30 to 50 per cent, of 

 clay, and not more than 5 per cent, each of lime and humus, the remainder sand and 

 other substances. Such proportions of those essentials form admirable soils for fruit 

 gardens and orchards. 



