108 THE FLORIST. 
SOILS, FRUITS, AND MANURES. 
(Continued from page 70.) 
BEFORE noticing the new red-sand I should have mentioned the oolitic 
loams as the next in descending order, had it not been for the greater 
importance of the red-sandstone formation. The loams which cover 
the oolitic rocks vary much in composition and quality; for instance, 
‘those of the Cotswolds are poor in composition, and contain too much 
lime. The same may be said in respect to the great oolite beds. The 
cornbrash loams, though forming a good corn soil, are not very favour- 
able for fruit trees, though we have seen some good orchards in 
Gloucestershire and Somerset on these measures, where the soil has 
been more than usually deep. There are, however, some good soils on 
the coral rag, a marly calcareous soil, which occupies a narrow strip in 
“the series, and which, when not too retentive, forms a valuable soil for 
fruit trees, the Peach and Apricot especially. The clay valleys which 
separate the main divisions of the oolitic beds are more celebrated for 
growing Oaks than Apples, though there are many fine orchards in 
Wilts, Bucks, and Dorsetshire, on the Oxford and Kimmeridge clay, 
which, with care as to drainage, may be made to grow fruit trees in 
perfection. 
The large area which the new red-sandstone covers in the midland 
counties in England will account for the number of the seats of the 
nobility and gentry which exist on this formation, and the many first- 
rate gardens which belong to them, in some of which have been pro- 
duced the finest fruits of which Britain could boast. There are some 
fine orchards on the new red in Gloucestershire and Warwickshire ; 
but we must look to the old red-sandstone for the most favourable orchard 
soils; before noticing which, however, we must not overlook the 
lias, an important fruit tree soil, more particularly when the natural 
configuration of the land admits of quick drainage, and the subsoil is 
favourable. Some of the lias loams are excellent for fruit growing, 
especially when they contain a certain per centage of fine drift, or 
overly a dry bed. ‘There are some fine orchards on the lias round Bath 
and Cheltenham, and the beautiful and fertile valley of Evesham, in 
Worcestershire (so well known as to require no comment), is entirely 
on the lias. In reference to the fruit producing qualities of Evesham 
Vale, we may observe that orchards and vineyards are among the items 
spoken of as belonging to the abbey of Evesham at the time of the 
Conquest ; and the great number of orchards and fruit-gardens now in 
cultivation in the Vale is proof conclusive that the lias, under certain 
conditions, is a favourable fruit tree soil. Our readers may also 
remember a beautiful collection of Apples, exhibited by Mr. Wm. 
Ingram, of Belvoir Castle, in Leicestershire, from trees growing on the 
lias, at one of the Horticultural Society’s exhibitions, a few years back, 
as affording additional proof of the fitness of the lias for orchard fruits. 
The old red-sandstone formation, as it occurs in Herefordshire and 
some parts of Devon, must be regarded as the first orchard soil in 
Britain. The principal fruit tree soils of Scotland also belong to the 
