SOILS OF MASSACHUSETTS AND CONNECTICUT. 63 



winter injury. It often continues to grow until freezing weather 

 and thus is very susceptible to injury. On a medium soil, neither 

 too moist nor too rich, its growth may well be held in control, early 

 annual maturity may be forced, and the color of the fruit from such 

 soils is satisfactory. (See PL XIX.) The subsoil should never 

 be so clayey as to prevent ready downward percolation of any excess 

 of free soil water. Annual applications of the mineral fertilizers, 

 such as basic slag and potash, seem desirable on such soils, and a 

 moderate amount of humus should be furnished, but nitrogenous fer- 

 tilizers should be used sparingly. If the growth is too vigorous at 

 any time it is well to seed to grass at once. 



Fruit of good color is especially desirable with this variety, the 

 color adding materially to the selling price. This has led to its 

 being planted on thin or light sandy soils in some cases, but on such 

 land the Gravenstein is generally unsatisfactory. 



In Massachusetts and Connecticut the Gravenstein is a variety for 

 the specialist only, but for such it is very profitable when grown near 

 a market, especially if within driving distance. Gravenstein is a 

 good illustration of a variety that is difficult to grow well but which 

 brings high profits if it reaches market in good condition. This has 

 doubtless led to its planting under conditions that have not always 

 been favorable. Market demands may make it profitable and desir- 

 able to grow a variety even though soil conditions are not ideal and 

 the variety does not grow its best. 



To secure the best color the fruit must be left on the tree in most 

 seasons until the loss from dropping becomes serious. By mulching 

 heavily with poor hay or straw these drops, many of which will be 

 well colored, may be gathered clean and practically free from bruise. 

 They will not keep long, but at that season the market is usually 

 eager for them at good prices. Most of the Gravensteins in Massa- 

 chusetts are grown within driving distance of some of the larger 

 markets, especially between the radii of 10 and 25 miles from Bos- 

 ton, where the drops sell to good advantage and the variety is con- 

 sidered highly profitable. Many of the smaller cities in Massachu- 

 setts are not well supplied with this variety, however, and in some 

 cases there is good opportunity for the specialist to plant Gravenstein 

 for local markets, as the large markets always take any surplus of 

 the best grade at high prices when well packed. 



SOILS FAVORABLE FOR THE ROXBURY (ROXBURY RUSSET). 



The Roxbury is now seldom planted, but there are some commer- 

 cial orchards of it in Massachusetts, and many of the old orchards 

 contain a few trees. It is most extensively grown in the Oldtown 

 district of Newbury, near Newburyport. The Roxbury is a gross 



