PREPARATION OF LAND 11 
It is true that some fruits seem to prefer certain kinds of soil, but the • 
ideal soil for one kind of fruit is an ideal location for producing all other 
kinds. Soils may be divided roughly into clay, loam, and sandy soils, with 
any number of variations in between. The difference is due to the size of 
the little particles of earth. Clay is made of the smallest particles of 
earth, and when you rub it between your fingers you can not feel any 
grit. A sandy soil is made of fine sand, and you can feel the grit in it. 
A loam is half-way between sand and clay. 
Clay Soil should be plowed deep and harrowed thoroughly until 
in good condition for planting. It does not dry out as 
quickly as other soils, and is inclined to "bake;" therefore, there is less 
time for working it. Every opportunity should be taken to cultivate clay 
land, retaining the moisture as well as promoting the growth and pre- 
venting packing of the soil. Many an orchardist does not realize that 
he could prevent loss from nine-tenths of our drouths if he would only 
cultivate the ground thoroughly throughout the season. 
Loamy Soil Loamy soil should also be plowed deep. It is usually 
fertile and does not require manuring as often as clay 
or sandy soil. Neither does it require as careful handling as clay soil. 
Trees are apt to grow late in the season on this type of soil; therefore 
cultivation should be stopped earlier than in other soils, so that the wood 
may mature well for winter. 
Sandy Soil Sandy soil does not contain as much plant food, but re- 
sponds quickly to fertilizers and cover crops, and under 
proper management produces highly colored fruit. If the tree does not 
make a new growth at the tip of the branch of at least a foot per season, 
it is a pretty sure sign that the land needs strengthening with manure 
and cover crops. 
The amount of gravel or rock in soil makes little difference except it 
makes it inconvenient in cultivating and getting about the orchard. On 
steep hillsides rocks in the soil help to check washing. The finest Al- 
bemarle Pippins are produced on the Porter black loam in the coves of the 
Blue Ridge Mountains at about 1,800 feet elevation. This particular 
type of soil is very rocky and often very steep, but the Albemarles from 
these sections are better known on the European markets than any other 
variety grown in America. Rock or gravel in a soil tends to keep it 
open and porous, so the water drains through it readily; gravel soil is 
often a warm soil. The largest grape-growing district is on gravel land 
along the shores of Lake Erie. Poor drainage is more frequently caused 
by a tight, impervious soil. It is impossible to open or loosen up the 
subsoil except by dynamiting. 
Preparation The ground should be put in as good condition as possi- 
nf T anH '^'^ before the trees are set, in order to insure the best 
oi lyana growth. It is especially important to plow deep, because 
you will never be able to work the ground immediately under the trees 
again. On newly cleared timber land, and sod land, it is better to grow a 
cultivated crop for one year before the orchard is planted. Corn, potatoes, 
etc., are good. Cow peas and soy beans can be drilled in narrow rows and 
cultivated. 
While it is better to have one year's preparation ahead of planting an 
orchard, it is not absolutely necessary. It will take a little extra work to 
set an orchard in a newly cleared piece of ground, but that is better than 
to lose a year's time. If manure is available, give the land a dressing, 
after the first plowing, worked in by a second plowing or by discing. 
For fall planting, the ground should be plowed in the late summer; 
for spring planting, it should be plowed in the fall. This is especially true 
where the ground does not dry out soon enough for early spring plowing. 
