126 



growing season that their root systems will be sufficiently developed 

 to add humus to the lower subsoil. Yet the roots of a well-de- 

 veloped apple tree reach far into the subsoil. 



The roots of plants and trees do not get their moisture from 

 free ground water, /. c, water that may flow out in surface streams 

 and underdrains. but from the thin films of moisture that surround 

 every soil particle. This moisture is caUed capillary water. A 

 tree can get no plant food from the soil except as it is obtained m 

 dissolved form, not in free ground water but in the soil film or 

 capillary moisture. H(pnce the importance of the texture and 

 structure of the subsoil, as well as that of the surface soil is at 

 once apparei:t. 



I have indicated some of tlie main factors considered in the 

 study and classification of soils. A\dien studying soils in the field 

 we follow out the crop results as related to and depending upon the 

 soil conditions. Thus we are enabled to compare crop results as 

 influenced by a large number of soil variations and to draw some 

 conclusions in regard to the adaptation of certain soils to certain 

 crops and to different varieties of the same crop. 



Having dwelt at some length upon the importance of soil se- 

 lection, I want to call your attention at this point to the fact 

 that the character of the soil upon which a crop is o;rown is only 

 one of several factors necessarv for successful crop production. 

 Climatic conditions embracing not onlv absolute temperatures, but 

 also the rainfall, air drainage, soil drainage as influenced by topo- 

 graphy — the onlv kind considered until recently — elevation both 

 above sea level and with reference to local topography, fertiliza- 

 tion, and care of orchards are all important. No one of these 

 factors may be studied effectively unless the other factors influenc- 

 ing production can be balanced. So soil comparisons can only be of 

 value when the other conditions are equalized, and to do this a 

 large number of field comparisons is essential. The adaptation of 

 varieties of apples to.tvpes of soil can be studied with hope of ar- 

 riving at definite results only bv considering first the behavior of 

 specific varieties upon specific well-defined types of soil. 



In the South ^Mountain reo"ion vou are somewhat restricted in 

 the number of commercial varieties of apples that have proved to 

 be both hardy and profitable, and that possess at the same time as 

 good qualitv as a group of growers of A^our standing wishes. There 

 is nothing strange in this for until recentlv we have alwavs been 

 satisfied with whatever varieties we might have, hence little effort 

 has been made to test other varieties under local conditions. Bar- 

 ring a few sections in the eastern United States which seem to 

 h.ave been blessed with varieties to fit their conditions without much 

 effort on their part, growers are seeking to-dav additional varieties 

 that will yield well and also be of hieh qualitv. York Imperial has 

 been the money-maker in your district, and until you have more 

 profitable sorts of better qualitv than you now have, it must con- 

 tinue to occupv an important place in vour commercial plantings. 

 The York apple has been severelv arraigned because of poor qual- 

 itv, and as sometimes s'rown the reputation is in some degree mer- 

 ited ; but on the other hand, it is a verv good apple when grown at 



