49 



I 



I 



I 

 I 



i 



Fig. I. Section of soil about three feet deep, under- 

 laid by solid rock — a soil condition that should be 

 regarded as "impossible" in selecting orchard sites. 



Figure i shows a soil section that would appear well for almost 

 any purpose in a moderately wet season but the rock stratum is 

 entirely too near the surface for orchard purposes. Contrast this 

 with Fig. 2 which shows a fairly porous subsoil and permits the 

 easy penetration of the roots (a pine tree in this case) to almost 

 any depth. 



A more serious matter, however, because it is more common, is 

 a location that is faulty from the standpoint of atmospheric drain- 

 age. The importance of a location having good air drainage has 

 been made very emphatic in almost countless instances during the 

 past few years. You know how cold air will settle to the lower 

 levels. A very common observation in spring or fall is a killing 

 frost in low places and none at all in elevated places. This simply 

 means that the cold air which is heavier than w'arm air has settled 

 to the low places crowding the warmer air up to a higher stratum. 

 The result is the killing frost observed on low ground and the ab- 

 sence of it on high ground. 



