106 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



Snniniary 



A summary of this subject may be given 

 to aid the reader in reaching a final con- 

 clusion in the selection of a site for a 

 home or commercial orchard. 



Soil Conditions 



Professor William Stuart, of Vermont, 

 recommends for that section a gravelly 

 loam or limestone soil well drained, on 

 an eastern or northeastern exposure. 



Professor C. D. Jarvis, Storrs, Conn.: 

 "The ideal soil in Connecticut is a sandy 

 or gravelly loam with gravelly subsoil." 



G. F. Powell, New York: "Clay-sand- 

 loam is excellent. Subsoil should not be 

 hai'd pan." 



Professor W. N. Hutt, Raleigh, N. C: 

 "Mountain coves are ideal for orchards 

 because they have plenty of humus and 

 nitrogen." 



Professor J. D. Moore, Madison, Wis.: 

 "Clay loam is excellent if not too heavy. 

 The top soil is not so important if under- 

 laid with pervious limestone subsoil. Grav- 

 elly subsoil would be second choice."' 



Professor G. R. Bliss, Ames, Iowa, says: 

 "In this state the white oak soil is well 

 adapted for orchards. Loose prairie soil 

 is also good as the roots permeate it read- 

 ily. Black prairie soils rich in nitrogen 

 cause an excess of wood and leaf growth 

 and lessen the production of fruit buds, 

 making the tree liable also to winter in- 

 jury." 



Professor F. H. Ballou, Wooster, Ohio: 

 "Potassium, phosphorous and nitrogen in 

 the quantities furnished by decaying veg- 

 etation, especially the legumes, give the 

 best ration." 



G. B. Brackett, Washington, D. C: 

 "Wood growth is strong on loamy soils 

 and liable to winterkill. Clay produces 

 hardy trees. Clay top and free subsoil 

 give excellent results. Cleared forest 

 lands preferable." 



Professor Ernest Walker, Fayetteville, 

 Ark.: "The orchard should have good 

 drainage, deep soil, and plenty of lime or 

 limestone." 



Bulletin No. 112, Baton Rouge, La.: 

 "The diflfioulty in Louisiana is that there 

 is so much moisture and fertility that or- 

 chards tend to iiroduce too much wood 



growth. The higher elevations and 

 heavier soils are better than the lower 

 elevations and lighter orchard soils." 



Professor H. C. Thompson, Agricultural 

 College, Mississippi: "A deep rich clay 

 with but little nitrogen should be se- 

 lected. Soils very rich in nitrogen pro- 

 duce too much wood growth." 



Professor Fabian Garcia, Santa Fe, N. 

 M. says that the adobe soil in that coun- 

 try is not good, but that a good strong 

 loam to a depth of six or seven feet un- 

 derlaid with adobe is an ideal situation. 



Professor R. W. Fisher, Bozeman, 

 Mont.: "Loam, moist but well di'ained, 

 deep and composed of limestone, granite, 

 or volcanic ash with plenty of humus is 

 best." 



Professor .1. R. Shinn, Moscow, Idaho: 

 "The soil best adapted is one from which 

 native forests have been cleared. It 

 should have good water drainage, good 

 texture and be rich in plant food. Tile 

 should supply drainage if natural drain- 

 age is wanting." 



M'eather Conditions 



Professor C. D. Jarvis, Storrs, Conn., 

 says that on account of the purer air and 

 brighter sunshine fruit that is grown on 

 the higher elevations is better. A south- 

 ern slope offers relatively more sunlight 

 than any other. There is little danger 

 from frosts on a southern exposure if 

 proper attention is given to elevation. 



Professor W. N. Hutt, Raleigh, N. C: 

 "Southern slopes always produce the rich- 

 est tinted fruits, but are more subject to 

 drought, and the soils are generally thin- 

 ner. Western slopes are hotter than east- 

 ern and the trees are more likely to sun- 

 scald. The conditions that produce heavy 

 timber will produce good fruit trees." 



Professor G. B. Brackett, of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture thinks 

 that an eastern or northeastern exposure 

 is better than any other. 



Professor J. G. Moore. Madison, Wis.: 

 "Avoid pockets and small valle.vs not 

 open to air drainage at the lower end of 

 the valley. Near large bodies of water 

 the best results are obtained by having 

 the orchard exposure in the direction of 

 the water." 



