162 PERMANENT PLANTATIONS. 



years ago, are, at this day, in the very lieiglit of their 

 vigor and j^roductiveness, without having received more 

 than the most ordinary culture. In some of these soils, 

 where the pear and aj)ple flourish so well, and endure so 

 long, the peach does not succeed at all. The reason is, it 

 is too stiff and compact. 



The plum succeeds best, as a general thing, on a clayey 

 loam, rather stiff. The Canada or native plum, however, 

 succeeds well on very light soils. The chernj^ th.& peach, 

 a])ricot, nectarine^ and almond, require a light, dry, and 

 warm soil, and will not succeed on any other. The best 

 and most enduring peach orchards are on dry, sandy 

 loams ; but good orchards are raised with proper manage- 

 ment on loose, light sands, though on such the trees are 

 shorter lived, and require constant care in the way of 

 dressings of manure and compost. There are two points 

 to be observed in regard to soils under all circumstances. 

 They must possess the inorganic substanc'es, such as lime, 

 2)otash, etc., that constitute a large portion of the ashes 

 of the wood and bark when burned, and a sufficient 

 amount of organic matter, vegetable mould, which dis- 

 solves and furnishes material for the formation and 

 growth of new parts. "When large and permanent plan- 

 tations are to be made, it will well repay the trouble and 

 expense of procuring the analysis of the soil, in order to 

 ascertain somewhat correctly its merits and defects. 

 People who have been long engaged in the culture of the 

 soil, can judge pretty correctly of its quality by its 

 appearance, texture, subsoil, and the character of the 

 rocks and stones that underlie and prevail in it; but the 

 inexperienced do not understand such indications, and 

 will do well to have recourse to a careful analysis by 

 some competent person. 



3d. Prejparation of Soil for an Orchard. — The season 

 before planting, the soil should be at least twice ploughed 



