FIELD NOTES ON APPLE CULTURE. 



CHAPTER I. 



SOIL, LOCATION AND WINDBREAKS. 



As a rule, rather light or loamy soils, with deep and 

 porous subsoils, are best adapted to apple growing. Nat- 

 ural drainage is imperative. Apple trees are impatient 

 of wet feet. Cold and backward soils, even if well under- 

 drained, do not give good results. I am not to be under- 

 stood as discouraging tile drainage, but I prefer a soil, 

 naturally well drained to one tile-drained. Naturally 

 drained soils are warm soils. I have in mind a contrast 

 between two prominent Michigan orchards. Both were 

 planted about twenty-five years ago, and with essentially 

 the same varieties. One stands upon a rather poor sand, 

 which possesses no decided subsoil higher than ten or 

 twelve feet below the surface. The orchard has received 

 good culture, but no underdraining, and the trees are 

 to-day vigorous and productive. The other orchard stands 

 upon a heavy loam, with a clay or hard-pan subsoil within 

 two feet of the surface. The land has been remarkably 

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