12 ORCHARD LANDS 



level lands near by, simply because the water does not have time 

 to soak in. % 



Sub-drainage. Here again it is a question of amount. Is 

 there too little, just enough, or too much? Trees will seldom do 

 well in a wet subsoil. The growth is poor and they are in danger 

 of winter-killing and various other troubles. On the other hand 

 if there is too much sub-drainage we have an exceptionally dry 

 subsoil and consequently lack of thrift in the trees. 



C. Atmospheric Drainage. This, of course, is of importance 

 only in sections subject to frosts, but as most of our best orchard 

 lands are in sections where frosts may occur, it ought to be con- 

 sidered in choosing the orchard site. Frost is one of those inter- 

 mittent troubles which one may escape for years and which then 

 swoop down on the orchard in a night and wipe out the profits of 

 the whole year. It is particularly comforting to know that the 

 orchard is on lands which are not subject to this danger. And 

 of course if one gets a crop when most of the neighbors have 

 lost theirs, the profit is correspondingly greater. It is surprising 

 how little elevation and how little slope are required to prevent 

 frost. The writer has seen an elevation of not over ten feet 

 make a difference of from 75 to 100 per cent in frost injury. 

 The points to be considered are: (1) Is there slope enough to 

 the field under investigation to carry off the cold air? (2) Does 

 cold air drain down from slopes above to the orchard, i.e., is the 

 orchard at the foot of a long slope? (3) Is there any obstruc- 

 tion at the bottom of the orchard to hold cold air and bank it up 

 in the orchard? 



D. Aspect or Slope. Personally the writer believes that 

 this matter of aspect has frequently been over-worked and yet 

 there are circumstances under which it is well worth careful 

 consideration. If a man is an orchardist pure and simple, and 

 wants to set out every available acre, no slope would be dis- 

 carded on account of its direction. On the other hand, if one is a 

 general farmer and wants to set one orchard on the best orchard 

 site of the farm, then the question of slope is worthy of careful 

 consideration. With reference to the sun, we have the ripening 

 and coloring effects of a southern exposure which are surely 



