48 SOIL AND ASPECT. 



of tree having already been exhausted by a previous growth, 

 and the soil being half' filled with old and decayed roots which 

 are detrimental to the health of the young tree. 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE POSITION OF FRUIT TREES. SOIL AND ASPECT. 



IN our favourable climate many fruit trees will thrive and 

 produce some fruit in almost any soil, except dry sand, or wet 

 swamps. But there is much to be gained in all climates by a 

 judicious selection of soil, when this is in our power, or by that 

 improvement which may generally be effected in inferiour soils 

 where we are necessarily limited to such. As we shall, in 

 treating the culture of each genus of fruit, state more in detail 

 the soils especially adapted to its growth, our remarks here will 

 be confined to the subject of soils generally, for the orchard and 

 fruit garden. 



The soils usually selected for making plantations of fruit 

 trees may be divided into light sandy loams, gravelly loams, 

 strong loams, and clayey loams ; the first having a large pro- 

 portion of sand, and the last a large proportion of clay. 



The soil most inviting to the eye is a light sandy loam, and, 

 as it is also a very common soil, more than half the fruit gardens 

 in the country are composed of this mould. The easy manner 

 in which it is worked, owing to its loose and very friable nature, 

 and the rapidity with which, from its warmth, crops of all kinds 

 come into bearing, cause it to be looked upon with almost uni- 

 versal favour. Notwithstanding this, a pretty careful observa- 

 tion, for several years, has convinced us that a light sandy soil 

 is, on the whole, the worst soil for fruit trees. Under the bright 

 skies of July and August, a fruit tree requires a soil which will 

 retain and afford a moderate and continued supply of moisture, 

 and here the sandy soil fails. In consequence of this the vigour 

 of the tree is checked, and it becomes feeble in its growth, and 

 is comparatively short-lived, or unproductive. As a tree in a 

 feeble state is always most liable to the attacks of insects, those 

 on a sandy soil are the first to fall a prey to numerous maladies.* 

 The open loose texture of a sandy soil, joined to its warmth, 

 affords an easy passage, and an excellent habitation for all in- 

 sects that pass part of their lives in the ground, preparatory to 



* This remark applies to the middle and southern portions of this country. North 

 of the 43 a light sandy soil is perhaps preferable as warmer and earlier. 



