108 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
plant such varieties only, as have been proved hardy enough 
to withstand the climate. 
Soil.— Soil, too, and its condition in regard to water, is of 
much account in the selection of varieties suited to climate, 
and often settles the question alone. There is a difference of 
ten or fifteen degrees between the temperature of well-under- 
drained, and sodden soil; and, besides, “ wet feet” is more 
damaging than hard frost. I have never seen an orchard, 
here, in good health and full bearing, where water could stand 
about the roots till carried off by evaporation. There is no 
use planting in such a soil without artificial drainage. 
Nearly all our virgin soil is rich enough in organized mat¬ 
ter to produce our hardy fruits ; but much of it is deficient in 
mineral elements, and objectionable in color and mechanical 
texture ; a black, spongy soil is the worst for fruit trees—and, 
other things being equal, a light-colored, stiff “clay,” the best. 
An analysis of my black prairie soil gave less than 2J per 
cent, of alumina—the base of clay. A good,wheat soil contains 
6 or 8 per cent.: and good wheat soils are usually good fruit soils. 
Where there is no more than two or three per cent, of alumina 
in the first furrow slice, there is often three times as much 
within reach of a trenching plow, and certainly within reach 
of a spade. But if you trench you must underdrawn, or you 
will have more water than before about the roots of your trees. 
Where there are springs to be tapped, so as to keep the arch 
moist, mole draining will, doubtless, answer; and open drain¬ 
ing, though wasteful, is better than none. 
Deep Planting. — It is a great fault. Avoid it. In well 
drained soil it does no good—in wet soil it is ruinous. Better 
plant on the crown of a back-furrow ridge, without “ digging 
holes” at all, than sink the roots of trees more than four or 
five inches below the natural surface, in naturally wet and 
undrained soil; as the tree grows the roots will go down far 
enough. 
Protection. — This is a subject which is attracting much 
attention. Belts of forest trees, especially evergreens, hedges, 
