THE POSITION OF FRUIT-TREES. 51 



that the growth of a young tree, in such a position, is weak and feeble ; 

 the nourishment suitable to that kind of tree having already been 

 exhausted by a previous growth, and the soil being half filled with old 

 and decayed roots which are detrimental to the health of the young tree. 



CHAPTER VII. 



THE POSITION OF FRUIT-TREES SOIL AND ASPECT. 



IN our favorable climate many fruit-trees will thrive and produce 

 some fruit in almost any soil, except dry sand or wet swamps. But 

 there is much to be gained in all climates by a judicious selection of 

 soil, when this is in our power, or by that improvement which may 

 generally be effected in inferior soils, where we are necessarily limited 

 to such. As we shall, in treating the culture of each genus of fruit, 

 state more in detail the soils especially adapted to its growth, our 

 remarks here will be confined to the subject of soils generally for the 

 orchard and fruit-garden. 



The soils usually selected for making plantations of fruit-trees may 

 be divided into light sandy loams, gravelly loams, strong loams, and 

 clayey loams ; the first having a large proportion of sand, and the last a 

 large proportion of clay. 



The soil most inviting to the eye is a light sandy loam, and as it is 

 also a very common soil, more than half the fruit-gardens in the country 

 are composed of this mould. The easy manner in which it is worked, 

 owing to its loose and very friable nature, and the rapidity with which, 

 from its warmth, crops of all kinds come into bearing, cause it to be 

 looked upon with almost universal favor. Notwithstanding this, a 

 pretty careful observation for several years has convinced us that a 

 light sandy soil is, on the whole, the worst soil for fruit-trees. Under 

 the bright skies of July and August, a fruit-tree requires a soil which 

 will retain and afford a moderate and continued supply of moisture, 

 and here the sandy soil fails. In consequence of this the vigor of the 

 tree is checked, and it becomes feeble in its growth, and is compara- 

 tively short-lived or unproductive. As a tree in a feeble state is 

 always most liable to the attacks of insects, those on a sandy soil are 

 the first to fall a prey to numerous maladies.* The open loose tex- 

 ture of a sandy soil, joined to its warmth, affords an easy passage and 

 an excellent habitation for all insects that pass part of their lives in the 

 ground, preparatory to rising out of it to attack the fruit, foliage, or 

 branches of the tree. 



thawed out ; or they may be at once if the earth will allow buried, tops and 

 roots entire, beneath the ground, and there left for a few days, or until a moist 

 cloudy day occurs for opening 1 and exposing them to the light and air. This lat- 

 ter course is also a good one for trees that are received in a dry or shrivelled 

 state. 



* This remark applies to the middle and southern portions of this country. 

 North of the 43 a light sandy soil is perhaps preferable, as warmer and earlier. 



