60 BULLETIN 140, XT. S. DEPAETMEWT OE AGEICULTTTEE. 



open storage. The commercial keeping quality, too, is said to be 

 inferior to that of the Spy grown on heavier soils in the same dis- 

 trict. Hence the soil requirements of this variety are decidedly 

 exacting, and are best supplied apparently by a medium loam under- 

 lain by a heavy loam or light clay loam ; that is, a soil as heavy as 

 can be selected without incurring the danger of inferior drainage, 

 for a poorly-drained soil should in no case be used. It is surely 

 best not to plant Northern Spy on a soil lighter than a very heavy 

 fine sandy loam, underlain by a light clay loam, or possibly a heavy 

 loam. Good elevation and good air drainage are also very essential 

 with this variety. 



In the southeastern counties of Massachusetts, Northern Spy has 

 not been very satisfactory, but rarely has it received suitable care. 

 In southern Connecticut, even when grown on soils very well suited 

 to it, the Northern Spy is held in much less esteem than in the north- 

 western part of the State, where the conditions much more nearly 

 resemble those in western Massachusetts, a district in which the 

 variety is excellent when grown on the right kind of soil with suffi- 

 cient altitude. In the northeastern part of Hartford County, at 

 elevations approximating 300 feet, Northern Spy does not keep well 

 much after New Years. Plate XVII shows excellent growth of this 

 variety under favorable conditions. 



SOILS FAVORABLE FOR THE WAGENER. 



In northeastern Pennsylvania, where the climatic conditions are not 

 greatly dissimilar to those of southern New England, Wagener is 

 one of the most profitable sorts for filler purposes. It gave re- 

 markable results, too, in northeastern Massachusetts in 1911 at a 

 very low altitude, and in the western part of the State, at an altitude 

 of nearly 1,200 feet, it is also doing very well, indeed. The tree is 

 weak in growth, hence a soil that is deep, strong, mellow, and loamy 

 should be selected. Stiff subsoils are especially objectionable with 

 this variety, and thin soils and light sandy soils should be avoided. 

 The Wagener thus fits in nicely with Northern Spy in soil require- 

 ments, and its habit of early bearing makes an effective offset to the 

 tardiness of the Northern Spy in this respect. 



SOILS FAVORABLE FOR THE MTNTOSH. 



The Mcintosh is an apple of high qualitj^ that is now very popular.- 

 As Mcintosh trees of sufficient age for safe comparisons are rarely 

 available in Massachusetts or Connecticut over any considerable 

 range of soil conditions, no positive statement is made concerning the 

 soil preferences of this variety. The indications are, however, that 

 the heavier of the Baldwin soils as described are desirable for the 

 Mcintosh, (See PL XVIII.) From the experience in Connecti- 



