THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
25 
ON THE ADAPTATION OF VARIETIES OF APPLES TO 
SOILS AND CLIMATES 
A Very Important Factor 
H. J. WILDER, United States Bureau of Soils 
The influence of the soil factor on apple production has 
received little attention from fruit growers in the eastern 
United States during the development there of apple 
orcharding. The adaptations of certain varieties to the 
conditions of climate obtaining in specific regions have been 
studied, and data collected, which is a guide in some degree 
to variety selection, and a wealth^of experience and experi¬ 
ment in orchard management are available; but if query 
be made as to soil selection it is most often dismissed, by 
the grower at least, with some such reply as, “Oh! a good 
corn soil is best,’’ or “I prefer stony ground with good 
elevation,’’ or some other similar characterization. 
It is believed in fact, that in the selection of an orchard 
soil, chief consideration has been given to where it is rather 
than to what it is. 
Variation in the yield of fruit per acre, however, as well 
as variation in its external appearance, quality and keeping 
characteristics, constantly point out that the soil factor 
may not be ignored. Field and orchard illustrations are 
virtually countless where the other essential factors, such 
as climatic conditions, drainage, exposure, fertilizers, etc., 
cannot satisfactorily account for the differences in varietal 
tree growth, nor for the range in the character of fruit 
produced. 
There are several prime factors vital to the successful 
production of the tree fruits, and all of these must be con¬ 
sidered in the investigation of any one of the factors. 
This is essential because no one factor or influence is a 
determinant, and it is imperative that each one of these 
factors be fitted into its proper niche, showing its relative 
position in the entire subject. It is not uncommon to find 
one orchardist who thinks that the point of chief considera¬ 
tion should be variety, another climate, another tillage or 
mulching, another spraying, and another fertilizers or 
what not. And while all of these elements are essential, 
no one is of much avail except in conjunction with all the 
others. So the character of the soil is of little importance 
if the trees do not receive proper care after planting, and 
yet all the other attributes will avail little if the soil be not 
well selected. 
The faet that so little attention has been given to soil 
adaptation is due without doubt principally to the lack of 
opportunity for such study, and also to the difficulty in 
attacking the problem over a wide range of soil and climatic 
conditions. Yet in the production of other high grade 
crops—that is, crops bringing a high rate of return per acre, 
such as the tobaccos, onions, celery, flowers, and the 
various garden crops—it has been clearly demonstrated in 
our best agricultural practice that different characters of 
soils have marked effect on the net returns of the erops. 
The best wrapper leaf tobaccos produced in this country, 
for example, are grown on fine sandy soils. The wrapper 
leaf must be extremely thin, and yet strong and elastic, so 
that a pound of them will wrap a large number of cigars, 
such as are produced on certain fine sandy soils, whereas a 
heavier or more clayey soil produces a thicker and more 
gummy leaf to which the trade objects. And so it is with 
apples. It is believed that soils differ greatly not only in 
their adaptation to apple orcharding in general, but also in 
their adaptation to different varieties of apples in particular. 
To state it another way—varieties of apples differ in their 
soil requirements, and any given variety within its own 
climatic environment is grown most successfully only on a 
somewha,t restricted range of soil. 
Outside this variety-region certain compensating factors 
may make the production of such variety feasible. The 
Baldwin, for instance, which originated in Massachusetts, 
and may be grown with success much more universally 
north of a line drawn from New York City to Pittsburg 
than anywhere else, is still a valuable sort for elevated 
areas from central Pennsylvania to northern Virginia. In 
this case the increased elevation compensates for the more 
southerly location where the mean temperature is higher, 
and maintains climatic conditions very similar to those of 
the Baldwin district described. As a result this variety is a 
commerical sort far south into Virginia when grown upon 
suitable soils; but the climatic factor is always in evidence, 
for with increasing distance south a higher altitude is neces¬ 
sary. At lower elevations the Baldwin becomes a fall 
apple, and as such it is not as desirable as other varieties. 
A slight exception to this statement, and yet one that 
strongly illustrates the effect of soil influence lies in the fact 
that if at the very point where the Baldwin tends to become 
a fall apple, it be planted on a soil somewhat heavier than 
the ideal, such departure from the normal soil off-sets in 
some degree the unfavorable change in climatic influence. 
This is of importa,nce only where the climatic departure 
is not very marked, a wide difference not being susceptible 
to amelioration by soil selection. 
It has been the aim of the writer to work out as far as 
possible in the limited time available the soil requirements 
or preferences of a number of varieties, a few of which will 
be described. 
Baldwin 
If soils are thought of as grading from heavy to light 
corresponding to the range from clay to sand, then soils 
grading from medium to semi-light fulfill best the 
requirements of the Baldwin. 
