128 POMOLOGY 



sized too strongly. This applies to every variety of apple 

 or other tree-fruit and to every type of soil. Shallow soils 

 should be assiduously avoided for orchard purposes wherever 

 they occur. The presence of unbroken rock, large ledges, 

 or hardpan within three feet of the surface should be con- 

 sidered prohibitive. A soil depth of at least six feet should 

 be insisted on wherever possible and an even greater depth 

 is highly desirable. 



Most of the fruit sections in America contain some soils 

 adapted to fruit-growing and others that give indifferent 

 or poor results. Not infrequently the nature of the subsoil 

 is the cause of the failures, for it must be remembered that 

 trees are comparatively deep-rooted. 



While many sections might be taken for illustration, the 

 extensive fruit region known as the "Ozarks" may be cited 

 or a certain part of it which lies in the Arkansas Valley. 

 Three types of subsoils are found through that general sec- 

 tion. The good fruit subsoils vary from dark brown to a 

 light reddish brown in color and are formed from broken 

 granite. The deposit of this material varies from a few 

 inches to several feet in depth, holds moisture well, but also 

 drains well, and hence is good fruit land. Another type is a 

 gravel subsoil which leaches badly and is likely to suffer in 

 dry weather unless irrigated. A third type, on which many 

 orchards have been inadvertently set, consists of the finest 

 of soil particles and hence affords poor drainage. The roots 

 seem unable to penetrate this soil and the trees suffer from 

 droughts, root-rot, and widespread winter-injury. Inciden- 

 tally, much of the difficulty can be avoided if alfalfa is 

 planted, as the roots of this plant penetrate the subsoil. 



115. Mechanical analysis of fruit soils. — The texture 

 of a few typical fruit soils may now be exammed. No one 

 type of soil is essential, since fortunately most fruit-trees 

 have a fairly wide range of adaptability, but it will be seen 



