48 SOIL AND ASPECT. 
of tree having already been exhausted by a previous growth, 
and the soil being half filled with old and decayed roots which 
are detrimental to the health of the young tree. 
CHAPTER VI. » 
THE POSITION OF FRUIT TREES. SOIL AND ASPECT. 
In our favourable climate many fruit trees will thrive and 
produce some fruit in almost any soil, except dry sand, or wet 
swamps. But there is much to be gained in all climates by a 
judicious selection of soil, when this is in our power, or by that 
improvement which may generally be effected in inferior soils, 
where we are necessarily limited to such. As we shall, in 
treating the culture of each genus of ‘fruit, state more in detail 
the soils especially adapted to its growth, our remarks here will 
be confined to the subject of soils generaily, for the orchard and 
fruit garden. 
The soils usually selected for making plantations of fruit 
trees may be divided into light sandy loams, gravelly loams, 
strong loams, and clayey loams; the first having a large pro- 
portion of sand, and the last a large proportion of clay. 
The soil most inviting to the eye is a light sandy loam, and, 
as it is also a very common soil, more than half the fruit gardens 
in the country are composed of this mould. The easy manner 
in which it is worked, owing to its loose and very friable nature, 
and the rapidity with which, from its warmth, crops of all kinds 
come into bearing, cause it to be looked upon with almost uni- 
versal favour. Notwithstanding this, a pretty careful observa- 
tion, for several years, has convinced us that a light sandy soil 
is, on the whole, the worst soil for fruit trees. Under the bright 
skies of July and August, a fruit tree requires a soil which will 
retain and afford a moderate and continued supply of moistare, 
and here the sandy soil fails. In consequence of this the vigour 
of the tree is checked, and it becomes feeble in its growth, aud 
ta comparatively short-lived, or unproductive. As a tree in a. 
feeble state is always most liable to the attacks of insects, those 
on a sandy soil are the first to fall a prey to numerous maladies.* 
The open loose texture of a sandy soil, joined to its warmth, 
affords an easy passage, and an excellent habitation for all in- 
sects that pass part of their lives in the ground, preparatory to 
* This remark applies to the middle and southern portions of this country 
North of the 43° a light sandy soil is perhaps preferable as warmer and 
earlier. 
