APPLES 



99 



sential with the apple than with less 

 hardy fruit. Almost any exposure other 

 than a northern or western one on a 

 steep slope will serve admirably. More 

 attention should be paid to good air drain- 

 age than to slope: hence an apple or- 

 chard should be raised somewhat above 

 the adjoining land, at least on one side. 

 Due regard should be given to expos 

 ure to strong winds. Wind-swept hill- 

 sides or knolls should be avoided, or. if 

 such are chosen, windbreaks should be 

 planted at once on the sides from which 

 blow the strongest winds. White cedar, 

 Norway spruce, hemlock or white pine 

 make the most effective hedges. The tree 

 rows should be set far enough away from 

 the hedge to insure them against injury 

 from shading or from robbery of plant 

 food. 



William Stuart. 



Biirlinffton. Vt. 



Exposure is the direction of slope of 

 the site. By a northern exposure is 

 meant a site in which the general slope 

 of the land is towards the north. On 

 rolling sites it is impossible to have all 

 the land slope in the same direction, but 

 in such cases it is the general slope 

 which is considered. A'o 07ie exposure is 

 best under all conditions. As a rule, in 

 this state a northern or northeastern ex- 

 posure is preferable. The trees are slow- 

 er in coming into blossom in the spring 

 than when the orchard has a southerly 

 exposure, and therefore there is less dan- 

 ger from late spring frosts. Near large 

 bodies of water best results are secured 

 by having the exposure toward the water. 

 In regions of high winds, much damage 

 often results from fruit being blown off 

 and from rapid evaporation of moisture. 

 These injuries are reduced by choosing a 

 site which has an exposure away from 

 prevailing winds. Fortunately in most 

 locations in Wisconsin this direction will 

 be north or northeast, and thus coincides 

 w-ith the general exposure. 



J. G. Moore. 

 Madison. Wis. 



Altitude 



The proper location of a commercial 

 apple orchard within the limits of Idaho 

 is no small task as there are many prob- 



lems involved. Above all things in se- 

 lecting a location for a commercial or- 

 chard it is essential that a locality be 

 chosen where the elevation permits i)rop- 

 er maturing of the apple. In favored 

 sections apples are now grown at an 

 elevation of 6,000 feet, but it is rarely 

 advisable to plant an orchard above 5,000 

 feet. The greater percentage of the profit- 

 able commercial orchards at the present 

 time are in sections where the eleva- 

 tions are below 3,000 feet. Local markets 

 and the family needs may be supplied 

 with apples grown near the upper limits 

 of elevation, out the general markets de- 

 mand such varieties as are adapted to re- 

 gions of lower altitudes. 



J. R. Siiixx. 

 Moscow. Idalio. 



An apple tree, in its soil and fertilizer 

 requirements, differs little from a forest 

 tree. The conditions of soil that will pro- 

 due heavy timber will produce productive 

 fruit trees. Forest trees grow naturally on 

 mountain slopes because they find there 

 a rich soil, abundant drainage and clear 

 sunlight. The same conditions will pro- 

 duce large, productive, long-lived fruit 

 trees. Where the natural forest is taken 

 off the mountain .slopes by the lumber- 

 man a forest of fruit trees can profitably 

 succeed it. Indeed, no cultivated crop so 

 well holds sloping lands from washing 

 as do the strong roots of fruit trees. The 

 common agricultural trouble known in 

 the South as "washing of land" is only 

 another name for uncontrolled drainage. 

 Trees, since they are perennial in growth 

 and have their roots in the soil at all 

 seasons, are more useful than any other 

 crop in protecting mountain lands from 

 destructive erosion. Sloping soils which 

 will wash must necessarily be well 

 drained. This is the foremost reason 

 why trees like sloping land and why 

 mountain orchards give better results 

 than those in similarly cool locations, but 

 on fiat lands with the water table too 



close to the surface. 



W. N. HUTT, 



RaleiKli. N. C. 



Thermal Fruit Belts 



In mountain regions, where elevations 

 are greatest, the maximum of exemption 



