APPLES 



91 



soil is sure to be a failure unless the 

 subsoil be broken up and the water table 

 lowered by drainage. 



J. G. Moore, 

 Madison. Wis. 



Apples Thrire on Many Soils 



Apple trees will thrive and do well on 

 almost any soil which is well prepared, 

 but the different kinds of soil may require 

 different treatment and after care. 



Loamy Soil 



A loamy soil is naturally rich in plant 

 food; hence it will need little, if any, ma- 

 nuring in its preparation. But it should 

 be deeply stirred and thoroughly broken 

 up by subsoiling. This loamy soil is what 

 may be termed free soil, as it seldom be- 

 comes compacted, even by abusive treat- 

 ment 



Clay Soil 



A clay soil is the most difficult to pre- 

 pare, and often requires manuring, as well 

 as thorough i)lowing. replowing. and sub- 

 soiling. It should also be frequently 

 stirred during the summer months, and es- 

 pecially as soon after each rainfall as is 

 practicable, to prevent it from baking and 

 becoming compacted. This becomes even 

 more important in seasons of long 

 droughts. 



Sandy Soil 



Sandy soils are generally lacking in 

 the necessary plant food. They also have 

 the objection of losing such fertilizers as 

 may be added by the leaching effect of the 

 rainfall. 



Effects of SeTeral Soils 



The wood growth on loamy soils will 

 be strong and vigorous, but may not be 

 sufficiently mature to withstand the freez- 

 ing of the more rigorous winters. Clay 

 lands are not apt to produce such vigorous 

 growth, and orchard trees on such lands 

 will be hardier as to winterkilling than 

 on most other soils. With a free subsoil 

 underlying it, a loamy clay soil will prob- 

 ably yield the best results, especially if it 

 be well prepared by thorough culture and 

 subsoiling before planting the trees. Tim- 

 ber lands, or lands on which forests have 

 formerly grown, if having the proper ex- 

 posure and drainage, are preferable for 



orchard sites. Such lands contain all the 

 elements of plant food necessary to insure 

 a good and sufficient wood growth and 

 fruitfulness. Fruit grown on such lands 

 will rank first class in size, quantity, and 

 appearance. q. b. Brackett, 



Washington, D. C. 



Loam 



If the extremely light sandy soils and 

 the very stiff clay and adobe soils are 

 eliminated, apples will grow well upon 

 the soils intermediate between the two, 

 providing, of course, that such soils are 

 free from excess of alkali and are put in 

 good physical condition. 



The best soils for commercial apple 

 production are moist, well drained, deep 

 rich loam, derived from limestone or 

 granite or volcanic ash, in which is found 

 a considerable quantity of decayed veg- 

 etable matter or humus. There is a dif- 

 ference in the adaptability of apples to 

 different soils, as, for instance, the Yel- 

 low Bellflower thrives best upon a rather 

 light soil, while the Yellow Newtown 

 Pippin seems to grow best in heavier 

 ground. The adaptability of apples to 

 particular soils can be determined only 

 by experiment and observation. 



R. W. Fisher, 

 Bozeman, Mont. 



Ohio Soils 



Admitting the truth that apples are 

 being successfully grown, in some parts 

 of Ohio, on soil so poor that it would 

 not produce ten bushels of corn per acre, 

 it is at the same time true that in order 

 to secure healthy, vigorous, well-grown 

 trees, which will devote a long life to gen- 

 erous fruit-bearing, there must be in the 

 soil those elements which constitute fer- 

 tility and good physical character. These 

 elements, of which there are three more 

 important, are both mineral and vege- 

 table. Potassium and phosphorus are of 

 mineral origin, while nitrogen is derived 

 from the growth, breaking down and de- 

 cay of vegetation especially that class of 

 plants belonging to the family of legumes 

 — the clovers, peas, vetches, etc. 



Abundant decayed and decaying veg- 

 etable matter, within or upon the surface 

 of the soil, is very desirable aside from 



