52 



THE POSITION OF FRUIT-TREES. 



Such are some of the disadvantages of a light sandy soil ; and in 

 thoroughly examining many of the fruit-gardens of the Middle States 

 the last few seasons, we could not fail to be struck with the fact that, in 

 nine cases out of ten, where a variety of fruit was unusually liable to 

 disease, to blight, or to the attacks of certain fruit-destroying insects, as 

 the curculio, the trees themselves were on sandy soils ; while on the 

 other hand, and frequently in the same neighborhood, the same sorts 

 were growing luxuriantly and bearing abundant crops where the soil 

 was a rather strong loam.* For a few years the growth and productive- 

 ness of the trees upon sandy soil is all that can be desired ; but the 

 trees are shorter lived, and sooner fall into decay than where the soil is 

 stronger. If there is any exception to this rule, it is only in the case 

 of the Peach ; and, judging from the superior flavor of this fruit on 

 stronger soils, we are inclined to doubt the value of the exception even 

 here. 



Gravelly loams are frequently much better adapted for orchards than 

 sandy, especially where the loam is of a strong quality, and the gravel is 

 not in excess ; and the hardier fruits usually do well on this kind of 

 soil. 



Strong loams, by which we mean a loam with only just a sufficient 

 portion of sand to make it easily worked, are, on the whole, by far the 

 best for fruit-gardens in this country. A strong loam is usually a deep 

 soil, and affords, during the whole heat of summer, a proper supply of 

 moisture and nourishment to the roots of trees. Fruit-trees do not 

 come into a bearing state so soon in a strong as in a sandy loam, because 

 the growth of wood is more vigorous, and fruit-buds are not so soon 

 formed ; but they bear larger crops, are much less liable to man^ dis- 

 eases, and their longevity is much greater. The largest and most pro- 

 ductive orchards of the Apple and Pear in this country are upon soils 

 of this kind. 



Clayey loams are, when well drained, and when the clay is not in 

 excess, good fruit soils — they are usually strong and deep soils, though 

 rather heavy and difficult to work. Trees that will nourish on these soils, 

 such as the Apple, Pear, Cherry, Plum, and Apricot, usually are very 

 free from disease or insects, and bear large crops. In a moist climate, 

 like that of England, fruit-trees on a clayey loam would die of canker, 

 brought on by the excessive quantity of water contained in the soil, but 

 such is not the case under the high and warm temperature of our sum- 

 mers. The finest, largest, and most productive Plums and Pears within 

 our knowledge, grow in sites on the North River, where the soil is a 

 stiff clayey loam, almost approaching a clay. Those fruits that on light 

 sandy soils are almost worthless, from their liability to disease and the 

 attacks of insects, are here surprisingly luxuriant and fruitful. 



It is, however, well to remark, that some varieties of fruit, perhaps 

 from the circumstances of their origin, succeed better on sandy soils 

 than any other ; thus the Newtown Pippin will only arrive at perfection 

 in a strong loam, while the Summer Queen is finer when grown on a 



* As an instance in point, the owner of one of the most highly cultivated 

 gardens in the vicinity of Boston was showing us, in despair, some trees of the 

 Seckel Pear, upon which he conld no longer get good crops or fair fruit, and 

 lamenting the degeneracy of the sort. The next day we saw in a neighboring 

 garden beautiful crops of this Pear growing with the least possible care. The 

 garden in the first case was a light sandy loam, in the second, a strong loam. 



