APRIL. 109 
old red-sandstone. The best orchards in Herefordshire are planted 
on deep red loams formed by the decomposition of the cornstone 
and marls, which result in producing a soil of great richness and 
retentive properties, and which, taken altogether, is perhaps the richest 
soil in the island. The turf of the rich Herefordshire pastures, when cut 
and left for a short time to decay, forms most excellent fruit-tree 
borders, but too rich for the Peach and Apricot, unless mixed freely 
with old lime rubbish or road sweepings. ‘Lhe old red-sandstone 
of Somerset and Devon, though containing large tracts of rich pastures 
and orchard soils, is more generally mixed with sand and shales than 
in Herefordshire ; neither is the soil so deep or permanently productive. 
Yet we find some good orchards both in Devon and Somerset, but the 
more natural moisture of the climate induces the growth of moss and 
lichens on the trees, and they rarely appear so vigorous as in Here- 
fordshire, and we believe are not so long-lived. In Scotland, on the 
contrary, where the climate can hardly be considered so favourable} 
good orchards are to be seen, and equally fine fruit grown, as in the 
best districts of England, on this formation, which includes some of the 
richest case soils. 
The quality of the loams met with on the mountain limestone is good, 
though their extent is limited ; considerable districts in Northumber- 
land, Yorkshire, and some portions of Derbyshire belong to the moun- 
tain limestone, and produce excellent fruit tree soils, where there is 
sufficient depth; but owing to their occupying elevated tracts, the 
climate is generally cold and unfavourable for fruit culture. The same 
remarks apply to the slate rocks of Cumberland and North Wales ; in 
the valleys are found rich loams, fit for growing fruits in perfection, but 
the climate does not admit of fruit culture to any great extent being 
carried out, which remark applies also to the clay slates and granite of 
West Devon and Cornwall, on which we have seen a few healthy 
vigorous orchards, on the decomposed shales and granite, and 
plenty of individual trees healthy and productive. ‘The loams 
belonging to the granite and killas rocks abound in potash and 
aluminous matter, liberated by the decomposition of the felspar and 
mica (component parts of granite), and are otherwise rich in 
inorganic substances: We have noticed that most kinds of fruit trees 
thrive in these soils, which are capable of producing fruit in abundance, 
where properly managed. In the extreme west of Cornwall the Peach 
grows well, whenever loam with a sufficient staple can be obtained for 
borders, as do the Pear, Apple and Plum (in some places) luxuri- 
antly ; but the climate is too damp to ripen the Peach wood sufficiently 
to induce certain crops, and the trees soon exhaust themselves. 
The brief sketch which we have given of the principal fruit tree soils 
of Britain, imperfect as it must necessarily be, has occupied a much 
greater space than we intended. Our idea was to give a general 
description of the different classes of soils. as met with, for the guidance 
of cultivators ; and by naming the geological strata, we look forward to 
the day when, through the exertions of the two London fruit societies, 
more correct data on this head will be obtained, so that the influence 
