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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTIClLTrRE 



moisture to be classed as a moist soil, yet 

 it is not so heavy as to be ill-drained if 

 surface drainage is not sufficient. The 

 soil should be moderately rich in organic 

 matter, decidedly more so than for the 

 Baldwin. Such soil conditions maintain 

 a long seasonal growth under uniform 

 conditions of moisture, and yet produce 

 a firm, crisp texture, the remarkable 

 juiciness and high flavor for which this 

 variety is noted when at its best. 



Hubbardston Soils 



The Hubbardston requires a light sandy 

 soil. The lighest soil on which the Bald- 

 win will succeed is about the heaviest re- 

 quired for the Hubbardston. Perhaps no 

 apple will utilize a more sandy soil than 

 this variety. This does not mean that it 

 will succeed on poor light sands; for In 

 such a soil, the apple will not attain suf- 

 ficient size to be of value, nor is the tree 

 vigorous enough. But the soil should al- 

 . ways be very mellow. A rich fine sandy 

 loam to at least the depth of a foot is 

 preferable and the subsoil may well be of 

 the same texture. 



Northern Spy Soils 

 This variety is one of the most exact- 

 ing in soil requirements. To obtain a 

 good quality of fruit, fine texture, juici- 

 ness, and high flavor, the soil must be 

 moderately heavy and for the first two 

 qualities alone, the Rhode Island Green- 

 ing soils would be admirably adapted. 

 However, the fact that the Northern Spy 

 is a red apple makes it imperative that 

 the color be well developed and the skin 

 free from the greasy tendency. This ne- 

 cessitates a fine adjustment of soil con- 

 ditions. The habit of tree growth also 

 is such as to require attention. Its ten- 

 dency to groV upright seems to be accen- 

 tuated on too clayey soils, if well en- 

 riched, and such soils tend to produce 

 wood growth faster than the tree Is able 

 to mature. On the other hand, sandy 

 soils, while producing good color and 

 clear skins fail to bring fruit satisfactory 

 in quality in respect to texture and flavor. 

 The keeping quality too is inferior to 

 that of the Spy grown on heavier soils 

 in the same district. Hence the soil re- 

 quirements of this variety are very exact- 



ing, and are best supplied apparently by 

 a medium loam, underlaid by a heavy 

 loam, or light clay loam. 



Tompkins King Soils 



This tree with its straggling tendency 

 of growth does not develop well on sandy 

 soils. Light mellow loam, the sand con- 

 tent thereof being medium rather than 

 fine, thus constituting an open textured 

 loam, rather than a fine loam, is better. 

 The subsoil should be either the same 

 texture or heavier, in no case heavier 

 than the light plastic clay loam. Subsoils 

 inclining to stiffness in character should 

 be carefully avoided. 



Fall Pippin Soils 



This variety will succeed on a wider 

 range of soils than either the Northern 

 Spy or the Tompkins King and soils 

 adapted to these varieties are ideal for 

 the Fall Pippin. 



York Imperial Soils 



The York Imperial is a leading com- 

 mercial apple in Central Pennsylvania. 

 Western Maryland, Northern Virginia and 

 West Virginia. It is adapted to the lime 

 stone soils of this region, the Piedmont 

 Plateau, and the ridges. The "Apple Pie 

 Ridge" soils of West Virginia are also 

 well adapted to the growth of this vari- 

 ety. This soil is a shale or soap stone 

 base, formed of disintegrated lime stone 

 and other mixtures. The Porter loam is 

 also good soil for this fruit. 



Grimes Golden 



The Grimes is so similar to the Rhode 

 Island Greening in soil adaptation that 

 a separate description of soil best adapted 

 to this variety will not be given. Yet it 

 is not adapted to the same latitudes as 

 the Greening. It will succeed best on a 

 Greening soil too far south for the Green- 

 ing to be a good winter apple. Plant the 

 Grimes where the Greening tends to be- 

 come a fall apple. 



Rome Beanty Soils 



In West Virginia where it is the lead- 

 ing commercial variety it gives excellent 

 results on fine sandy loams and mellow 

 loams of the Westmoreland and DeKalb 

 series. In Southern Pennsylvania it does 

 well and as far south as Alabama. 



