12 THE APPLE 



adapted to available conditions, and to select those varieties that 

 will do well. The cause of this demand is illustrated not only by 

 the unprofitableness of many orchards as a whole, but even more 

 forcibly by the unprofitableness of varieties now growing on cer- 

 tain soils, or under certain soil conditions, in orchards of the best 

 fruit growers. 



A given variety, for the best success within its general climatic 

 region, should be planted on certain kinds or under certain condi- 

 tions of soil. Outside this region certain compensating factors may 

 make the production of such variety feasible. The Baldwin, for in- 

 stance, which originated in Massachusetts and may be grown with 

 success much more universally north of a line drawn from New 

 York City west to, say, Sunbury, Bellefonte, and New Castle near 

 the Ohio line than anywhere else, is still a valuable sort for elevated 

 areas from central Pennsylvania to northern Virginia. In this case 

 a greater elevation compensates for the more southerly location, and 

 as a result this variety, when grown upon suitable soils, is a com- 

 mercial sort far south into Virginia. The climatic factor is always in 

 evidence, however, for with increasing distance southward a higher 

 altitude is necessary. At lower elevations the Baldwin becomes a 

 fall apple, and as such it is not so desirable as other varieties. A 

 slight exception to this statement, and yet one that strongly illus- 

 trates the effect of soil influence, lies in the fact that if, at the very 

 point where the Baldwin tends to become a fall apple, it is planted 

 on a soil somewhat heavier than the ideal, such departure from the 

 normal soil offsets in some degree the unfavorable change in climatic 

 influence. This is due probably to the lower specific heat of the 

 more clayey soil, and is of importance only where the climatic de- 

 parture is not very marked, a wide difference not being susceptible 

 to amelioration by soil selection. As grown in the district above 

 outlined, the Baldwin is an excellent No. 2 winter sort. 



With this understanding of the problem the soil requirements 

 of several varieties of apples will be discussed. 



Baldwin soils. If soils are thought of as grading from heavy to 

 light, according to the range from clay to sand, then soils grading 

 from medium to semi-light fulfill best the requirements of the 

 Baldwin. Following definitely the classification standards of the 

 United States Bureau of Soils with reference to the proportions of 



