RECEIVED 



*JA 



CIRCULAR No. 95 



NOVEMBER, 1929 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 WASHINGTON, D. C. 



SUBSOIL AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE GROWTH 

 OF APPLE TREES IN THE OZARKS 



By A. T. Sweet, Associate Soil Scientist, Soil Investigations 

 Bureau of Chemistry and Soils 



CONTENTS 



Introduction 1 



Area studied 2 



Climatic conditions 2 



Soils of the area 2 



Page 

 Root growth of forest trees 6 



Relation of subsoil to stand and size of trees..- 6 

 Subsoil and root development of apple trees... 9 

 Conclusions 12 



INTRODUCTION 



Apple growing has been one of the important industries of south- 

 western Missouri and northwestern Arkansas for many years. Over 

 the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway alone, according to the super- 

 intendent of refrigeration of that road, there were shipped out of 

 this region from 1913 to 1925, inclusive, 39,313 carloads of apples. 

 Over the Kansas City Southern Railway from 1922 to 1925, accord- 

 ing to information received from the agricultural development agent 

 of that line, there were shipped from the same region 1,295 carloads 

 of apples. In addition, there were other carload shipments, the 

 records of which were not obtained, and large quantities of apples 

 were used at home, consumed by canneries, manufactured into evapo- 

 rated apples, cider, and vinegar, and hauled by trucks into the 

 regions of eastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas where but few 

 apples are grown. 



That a large number of the orchards now in bearing have been 

 profitable is indicated by the good stand of trees, their well-kept 

 appearance, and the extent of recent plantings which have increased 

 from year to year. Many young orchards have not yet come into 

 full bearing. 



On the other hand, the poor stand of trees, small growth, and 

 neglected condition of the trees in other orchards indicate that they 

 have not been profitable. In all parts of the region there are or- 

 chards which, have been practically abandoned, involving heavy 

 economic loss. Many of these orchards have proved unprofitable 

 because of diseases of various kinds, neglect, and the attempt to 

 grow apples on a commercial scale by persons without the necessary 

 experience, who do not realize the difficulties and expense of the 

 undertaking. 



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