AND ITS DISEASE. 45 



tion, which affords a deep, rich loam, with a small 

 portion of sand, to mica slate, which is composed 

 of quartz and mica, and deposits of talc, to lime- 

 stone, which is the carbonate of lime, to sandstone 

 and red shale, of slaty structure, composing the 

 red formation passing through the counties of 

 Bucks, Montgomery and Chester, in the State of 

 Pennsylvania, to light sandy soils; also to sandy 

 soils with a red clay subsoil. The most of these, 

 in the course of farm culture, contain more or less 

 rich vegetable mould, and these formations em- 

 brace about all the soils of a general geological 

 character constituting our farm lands. These are 

 all adapted to peach culture, but for preference I 

 will name them in the following order: Mica slate r 

 gneiss, red shale, limestone, sandy loam, light 

 sand, sand with red clay subsoil. This last I have 

 tested in Maryland, and there it rates first in qual- 

 ity for peaches or any other fruit. Stiff clay is 

 considered the least desirable, but if well prepared 

 I have found it to produce excellent crops of fruit. 

 The peach does not require the richest soil. Del- 

 aware and Maryland ship thousands of baskets 

 yearly of finely grown peaches from lands below 

 medium quality in fertility. In such soils, and in- 

 deed in all soils, the peach requires yearly culture r 

 and with that requisite all soils will produce good 

 peaches in our temperate climate. The peach must 

 make its bearing wood every year, and it requires 

 cultivation to give it strong, vigorous growth. 



