120 HORTICULTURE FOR SCHOOLS 



Before planting, the orchardist should make sure that he 

 has the type of soil suitable for the kinds of trees he desires 

 to grow. Before buying land it is well to obtain the opinions 

 of disinterested residents of the locality and also of the state 

 experiment station as to the particular piece of soil. The 

 depth and character of the soil can be ascertained by taking 

 samples with a soil-auger. In new regions the vegetation is 

 frequently a reliable index to the soil and climate. The presence 

 of oaks, especially if they are large, indicates a good soil con- 

 taining more or less clay. Pines indicate open, sandy, gravelly 

 lands. Sometimes pines grow on almost sterile sand, as in 

 Florida and on the sandy j ack-pine lands of the North . When 

 pine trees appear to be stunted, the land is very poor. Dig- 

 ger pines grow in the Sierras on land which is well adapted to 

 fruit-growing. Walnuts, especially when of good size, are 

 found on deep, loamy, well-drained soils containing a satis- 

 factory amount of moisture. Willows indicate wet soils and 

 frequently poor drainage. Sorrel (Oxalis) thrives in sour 

 ground. Ceanothus frequently grows on land suited to fruit- 

 culture. Its size and vigor tells the amount of jainfall. Sage- 

 brush grows on arid land requiring irrigation if profitable 

 crops are to be raised. When large in size, sage-brush indi- 

 cates a deep soil, but if small and scrubby it signifies poor or 

 shallow land. Such plants as grease-wood, saltworts, and 

 samphires show the presence of alkali in the soil. 



197. Selecting a location for the orchard. The general 

 location should be selected with reference to the climate, the 

 soil, and the market. While nearness to market is an ad- 

 vantage, it is not so important a factor as it was years ago 

 when shipping facilities were much poorer than they are to- 

 day. After deciding on the general location, it is necessary 

 to select the site for the orchard; that is, the particular part 

 of the district, the exact place in the locality, or the exact 

 spot of the farm upon which the orchard is to be placed. In 

 selecting the site, it is necessary to consider the topography 



