American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-03-04

In establishing orchards the first
step is in selecting the proper place
or location. In this there are several
points, each vital to success, such as
drainage, markets and types of soils
that must be taken into considera-
ton.
Drainage means air and water
and neglecting to take these serious
ly would be pretty apt to result in
complete failure, even though all
other requisites were present. See
that the land you are about to select
has good air drainage. If the site
is down in a valley or any other
place that is surrounded by higher
land, be sure there is sufficient fall
to keep the air moving. Very often
there are frost pockets formed by
the valley closing in and bios king
the flow Of air. A heavy belt of tim
ber in the wrong place will often
cause frosty land. Nearness to large
rivers affords ideal protection from
frosts. In fact some of the best land
in the northwest is located where it
overflows every year. The large
body of water tempers the atmos-
phere and aids in regulating the
frosts
Water drainage is just as essen
tial as that of air. Much land that
is alright for fruit in every other re-
spect fails here. Look out for So
called white clay lands of the rainy
sections. This, in most cases, is due
to water standing over it for a good
part of the rainy season. Seepy Ian
or land with the water table stand
ing near the surface for good part
of the year will not do for fruit
trees; unless it can be well drained
by tile. Fruit trees do not do we'll
with wet feet. The roots will not
grow where there is no supply of OK
ygen. and water crouds out of the
sol, this necessary element. The root
system necessarily forms very near
the surface and when the dry season
comes on. or the water supply is de-
ficient the trees suffer for food at
the time when it should be giving
size to the fruit; for as you know
the plant food in the soil is taken
up through the tree in liquid form
and il there is no moisture there ca
be no food for the tree or fruit. IT.
rigated sections are subject to sepy
land caused by injudicious use OF
water BY growers on the higher To-
cations. This is especially so where
there Is an impervious subsoil. The
remedy is laying tile on the nign
side of your land to catch the water
and drain it off.
Select a location that will be near
to a market or a good loading sta
ton. Long hauls by wagon not only
reduce the shipping quality OF the
apple. but also, out side Of this con-
sideration, is a very costly method
of transportation. After you reach
a distance of five miles from the
station the cost Of putting the fruit
on the market increases very rap
idly.
There are many type Of soil that
ara excellent for orchard purposes
such as the volcanic ash. red clay
loans, sandy loans. red shot. A
good standard to go by in selecting
soil for fruit is to judge by the a
mount of growth it has produced
that season, il in rainy section
or the kind of shrubery 1t is pro-
du,ing IL in a dry country. Sagebrus
is &C nsidered good fruit soil in mos
dry sections. 1t is not good policy
to buy land without first finding ou
what the subsoil is like. Land with
an impervious subsoil near the sur
face should be avoided for the slmp
lie reason that the root will not pc
citrate it, and the plant food in II
shoilow surface coil will soon be ex'
hausted. Buyers are often deceived
by this soil as the young trees
viii. make vigorous growth for a
few years and take this as an inGl-
cation that they will continue t6
flourish. On the other hand a sol
misht have a very thin surface soil
but if the subsoil is good would pro
duce fine trees. Take soil augu'
an6 sample the soil down to the