SOILS OF MASSACHUSETTS AND CONNECTICUT. 65 



during a droughty period affects these sorts more severely than the 

 stronger growing varieties such as Baldwin, and under equal con- 

 ditions the Gloucester loam certainly maintains a more uniform 

 moisture supply than the Wethersfield loam, though not necessarily 

 more than deep areas of the less extensive Wethersfield silt loam. 

 Undoubtedly other of the weaker-growing, or short-lived, sorts will 

 also do better under the same treatment on the average Gloucester 

 soils than on the Wethersfield ; but strong-growing varieties such as 

 Wealthy and Mcintosh are very promising on the loam, silt loam, 

 and heavy phases of the sandy loam in the Wethersfield series, except 

 at low elevations in southern Connecticut, and on them Baldwin has 

 long since proved its worth for commercial purposes. 



THE ADAPTEDNESS OF SOILS TO VARIETIES OF PEACHES. 



If a line be drawn connecting the northernmost of the commercial 

 peach orchards in Connecticut it will correspond in a general way 

 to the most southern of the average isothermal lines ( U. S. Weather 

 Bureau) of the six winter months which includes any material 

 part of the State. During the spring months of March, April, and 

 May the fluctuations of the extremes of temperature are also a little 

 less marked within this belt where, at good local elevations, the 

 minimum temperature does not reach the point of frost as fre- 

 quently as elsewhere in the State, and winter temperatures are like- 

 wise a little less severe. This effects a relative steadiness of tem- 

 perature during critical periods which lessens the danger from frost. 

 The line referred to would extend just north of the southwest cor- 

 ner flange of the State, where it projects into New York, north- 

 easterly about 10 miles north of South Norwalk, thence to Beacon 

 Falls and Farmington, across the Connecticut Valley north of Hart- 

 ford to Vernon, south to East Glastonbury and Haddam, and thence 

 to the southeast corner of the State. Within the area lying between 

 this line and the Sound most of the commercial peach orchards of 

 Connecticut are located, though comparatively little development has 

 taken place east of Haddam where it may be said the weather records 

 seem a little less favorable, and in the southwestern extension of the 

 State orchards are scattering. 



On the Gloucester soils of the Western Highlands is located, how- 

 ever, one of the largest commercial orchards, and there are many 

 smaller ones in both the highland districts. The importance of good 

 local elevation can hardly be overestimated. Even in an average 

 season the rotting of fruit is much worse in orchards where the free 

 and rapid circulation of the air is in any way impeded, and in a 

 season such as 1912 when the weather was hot and humid during 

 part of the picking period, the tendency is much increased. The 



55570' — Bull. 140—15 5 



