CHAPTEE III 



AGRONOMY, OR THE CHEMISTRY AND BACTERIOLOGY 

 OF SOILS. 



"With good reason the soU is called mother, since all things 

 have been produced out of it." — Lucretius. 



"The principal part of the food of plants is derived from the 

 soil." — Lindley. 



The soils upon which fruit and other trees grow 

 vary considerably in their composition. As a rule, 

 the soil most suitable for the purpose should be 

 naturally rich, a good loam, with a fairly porous 

 subsoil. The soils of Kent, Devonshire, Here- 

 fordshire, and Somersetshire are invaluable for 

 the growth of fruit trees. The light clays of 

 Sussex ; the rich alluvial soils of Lincolnshire, 

 Cambridgeshire, and Middlesex ; and the red 

 sandstone soils of Gloucestershire and Worcester- 

 shire are all well adapted to the cultivation of fruit 

 trees. 



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