THE ORCHARD. 161 



2d. The Soil. — Having treated already of tlie different 

 characters and modes of amelioration of soils, it is only 

 necessary liere to point out what particular qualities or 

 kinds are best adapted to the different classes of fruit 

 trees, as far as experience will warrant in so doing. There 

 are soils of a certain texture and quality, in which, by 

 proper management, all our hardy fruits may be grown 

 to perfection. For instance, the soil of our specimen 

 orchard, which is that usually termed a sandy loam.^ with 

 a sandy clay suhsoil, so dry that it can be w^orked imme- 

 diately after a rain of twenty-four hours. On this we 

 have apples, j)ears, plums, cherries, peaches, apricots, and, 

 indeed, all the/ruits planted promiscuously, side by side, 

 not by choice but necessity, and all these yield bountiful 

 crops of the finest fruit every season, and that, so far, 

 without any special attention in the way of manures or 

 composts. Our country abounds in such soils, and others 

 somewhat different in character, but equally eligible for 

 all fruit trees when w^ell managed. On the other hand, 

 there are soils wholly unfit for fruit trees of any kind — 

 such are peaty or mucky, and damp, cold, and spongy soils. 

 For an orchard of apples or pears, a dry, deep, substantial 

 soil, between sandy and a clayey loam, and possessing 

 among its inorganic parts a considerable j)ortion of lime, 

 is, according to all ex]3erience, the best.^ On such soils 

 we find the greatest and most enduring vigor and fertility, 

 the healthiest and hardiest trees, and the fairest and best- 

 flavored fruits. Trees both of apples and pears, j)lanted 

 on such soils in western l^ew York, upwards of fifty 



* The ashes of the bark of apple trees disclose the fact, that in one 

 hundred parts upwards of fifty are lime. In the sapwood eighteen of lime, 

 seventeen of phosphate of lime (similar to bone earth) , and sixteen of 

 potash. In the heart or perfect wood, thirty-seven of lime. In the ashes 

 of the sapwood of the pear of one hundred parts, twelve of lime, twenty- 

 seven phosphate of lime, and twenty-two of potash. In the ash of the 

 bark, thirty of lime. 



