18 ORCHARD LANDS 



sands, but stiff, intractable and clayey in the ease of clays, clay loams and 

 loams, should have tlieir humus content increased until these unfavorable 

 conditions for crop growth of any kind be overcome so far as possible, 

 it is not possible by the addition of humus so to change the physical 

 characteristics of a given soil that its inherent physical character be 

 negligible, so far as its adaptation to crops or to different varieties of the 

 same crop is concerned. The agricultural practice of the eastern part ot 

 the United States is replete with instances of special soil-crop-variety 

 adaptation. 



" Soils for the Greening. — As the best prices for Rhode Island Green- 

 ings are usually obtained in New York City, the general aim of the 

 commercial grower will be to meet the preferences of that market. The 

 demand there for a ' green ' Greening has usually been stronger than for 

 one carrying a high blush, and while individual buyers may be found, it 

 is said, who do not discriminate against the latter, most of them do so to 

 the extent of 25 cents a barrel in favor of the ' green ' Greening. Of even 

 more importance sometimes is the fact that a ' green ' Greening will move 

 on a slow market when a blush Greening fails to do so. There is also, in 

 some markets, objection to the blush Greening, from the fact that the con- 

 sumer is rarely able to distinguish it from Monmouth Pippin — a red- 

 cheeked green apple, which is inferior to the Rhode Island Greening and 

 does not serve at all well the purpose for which the latter is bought. 



" To grow a ' green ' Rhode Island Greening to conform to the trade 

 preferring it, a surface soil of heavy, silty loam or light, silty clay loam, 

 underlain by silty clay loam, should be selected. Such soil will retain 

 sufficient moisture to be classed sls a moist soil, yet it is not so heavy 

 as to be ill drained, if surface drainage is adequate. The soil should be 

 moderately rich in organic matter, markedly more so than for the Baldwin. 

 In contrast to the Baldwin soil in the growth of corn, it should keep the 

 lower leaves of the plant green until harvesting time, or at least until late 

 in the season. Such soil conditions maintain a long seasonal growth under 

 uniform conditions of moisture. It is thus seen that the soils adapted to 

 producing this type of Rhode Island Greening are distinct from the Bald- 

 win standard. In fact, these two varieties, considered as standards, 

 differ so markedly in soil reqviirements that the soil adaptations of other 

 varieties may well be compared with them. 



" If ' a Greening with high blush is desired, however, to meet other 

 market conditions, a soil somewhat warmer than that described should be 

 selected, a deep, light, mellow loam or productive fine sandy loam being 

 favorable. To secure a ' finish ' of this character soils approaching more 

 nearly to the Baldwin standard are best adapted. 



"The Rhode Island Greening is more restricted in area than the 

 Baldwin, not adapting itself to climatic conditions as far south as the 

 Baldwin, even thougii suitable soils occur tliere. In fact, its southern 



