The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-12-03

many soils which. with intelligent care and preparation, may be made to produce fine apples, yet the best soils for -pples is a rich, well-drained clay loam; wet, water-soaked soils should be avoided as well as the poor. wbte sandy soils, light, thin soils do not yield apples. Hard-pan soils should be broken deep with a suo- soil blow and the acidity of such soils corrected before trees are planted. SGeh soils need htimus. lime and drainage Ne fore they are suitable for fruit grow ing.
 Most all timber lands. and especially timber lands where the sub-soil is a rich, red clay. are especially adapted for the growing of fine apples Soils need diff ferent treatment. Some soils must have drainage. others need to be sub-soiled and others need mulching. Where soils are sour, the acidity in the soil must be taken out before fine apples or other frults can be grown. We often see in all sections of our country trees planted under condi- tlons that clearly indicate that the plant CT knew nothing whatever of the wants of an apple tree or else he was too in- different and careless to give the matter the attention needed to make fruit grow ing a success.
 Many growers seem to fall into a conn mon error, that after soils have been de- pleted Of all plant foods by the growing
  be set to fruit tree sand made to produce fine fruits. No greater mistake could be made. Lands should be cleared of all stumps and stones, broken deep and put in high state of cultivation before Fruit trees are planted.
 Drainage.
 There are many lands in some sections where drainage is absolutely necessary for successful fruit growing, for fruit traa x.-fU v-hp a c1lhcOiI iS full of water Tile drainage is the most economical system of drainage, for If good tile are laid well they will last for years. Besides, tile is put under the ground out of sight and out of the way of culli- vation.
 Open ditches are objectionable for sev- eral reasons. They soon fill up, brush and briars grow up along their banks, they cause the farm to look ugly and they are always in the way of cultivation.
 It is not always the low lands that need tile drainage but often uplands and table lands need drainage as badly as the low lands, for many of these have sub. soils full of acid waters.
 After the soil is properly drained, liberal use of pure rock lime will be of great benefit to many soils in helping to correct the acid influences of the soil. Use twenty to fifty bushels of lime per acre. We know of one grower in the Ozarks who is using thirty bushels of lime per ace on his orchards and fruits that this not only greatly improves the quality of the fruit, but the trees also take on strong. healthy growth. so the question of having the soil properly drained before planting the trees is one that should be carefully studied for it will save great amount of after losses.
 In lnanV sections apn1a treps ara dying from the effects of wet feet, yet the own CTS of such orchards seem to have no con- ception of what is the trouble.
 Subsoiing.
 Subsoiling is another method of dran- age. Many soils need to be deeply sub soiled and this is especially true where there is a heavy, stiff clay or tight, gravelly subsoil. There are many lands where the top soil has been turned over for years leaving a hard surface under meath which needs to be broken deeply, and this deep bed filled with organic mat ter.
 Subsoilng has a two-fold purpose-act- ing IS drainage carrying off the excess water, thus preventing the washing of lands, and in dry weather it eonserves moisture and often the moisture thus saved will carry crop through n dry sea- SOi Nhtii olhtlAlSt IL llilSul DG lDSl lol want of enough moisture to enable it to bridge over the dry period We might also mention one other great advantage often derived from the use of the sub soil blow, which is, that it aerates the soil, letting in air and light to the roots of plants and trees
 As this subject may be new to many of our readers, and as I am so often asked how subsollng should be performed, l will state here that it does not mean that the soil should be turned over to this great depth, but that the subsol blow should follow in the furrow behind the regular turning blow, where it acts as rooter, going down and loosening up the hard surface, but never turning it out or over. The work of subsoiling should al- ways be performed in the fall of the year. so that the winter rains may fill the trenches and loose beds with water. Another important feature about subsoil ing is that in all sections where there is no frost in winter or where the frost does not penetrate deep enough to loosen up the hard under surface the subsoil blow is badly needed and should be brought into common use. As to how often the subsoil blow should be used depends en- tirely upon local conditions.
 Usually, if the work is well performed before the trees are planted the roots of the trees will do the after sub-soil- ing.
 good plan for the new beginner would be to write me fully their soil conditions, and I might be able to give more advice on the subject, as here I can only give directions in a general way.
 Fertilizers.
 Fertilizers are simply plant foods, and 1t is just as important for the apple grow CT to know what plant foods are needed for the apple tree in order to enable it to produce fine fruit, as 1t is for the farm CT who is in the dairy business to know what foods milch COW should have in order to enable her to give cream and butter fat.
 Very much depends upon the physical condition of the soil, as to the amount and kinds of fertilizers to use. Where the soil has been well drained and sub soiled as outlined above, plant foods ap- piled will become more readily available and give better results, than If they were used without this previous preparation. or without any knowledge of when and how to use them or not knowing what the plant foods contain.
 The question of the use of commercial fertilizers and the question of spraying confuse the average farmer. These are questions of deep study. and can never be fully determined in any other way than that of actual experience. These general remarks will be a guide to the grower in conducting a line of experiments which may lead him to know exactly what kind of fertilizers are best adapted for his soil.
 Three elements of plant food are needed in the growing of all fruits and vege- tables These are nitrogen, phosphoric