The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-03-24
RAISE FRUI | ON
 CON ECTICUT SOIL
Southern New England Els pecially Well Adapted to Success in Apple Culture.


 Washington, D. C.. March, 2s.-As A result of an extensive study of the soils in apple and peach orchards, the bureau of soils of the United States department of agriculture has issued bulletin 40. Soils of Massach chusetts and Connecticut, With Especial Ref discusses in detail the adaptability of different types of soils to differen va rieties of tree fruits
 Some of the interesting facts bear inle upon apple raising developed in this bulletin are as follows: The climate of southern New England is rieoreus but the seasons are of slif1- cient length for the securing of good crops, and seem especially favorable for a long list of varieties of apples. mature in the prevailing length of season. Barring low lying areas the climatic conditions of the whole state, are we'll suited to apple growing, though thee haracter of the fruit vs< ries with the kind of soil and not iEta- range in climate. A Baldwin grown on certain soil .o0o feet above sea level In q certain part of the state natures later and may possess bet ter keeping qualities than one grown forty miles farther south on the same
 
 After discussing in detail the differ ent classes of soils in the various sec tions of the territory. the bulletin says
 While the statement that ia given variety of apple, for the most slc- cessfu1 growth within its general eli nae3ie resiea requires certain kind Of condition of soil seems lncontro- vertib1e. inasnuch as # is go V slI sub7I staniated by orchard results under wide range of conditions, the reason Rgf1. khis should besso is notIso easily stated. It seems to depend fnnda- m mentalIy upon the water-h holding ca-a pacity, or rather the moisture co-ef- fIcIent. of the soil The capacity of a soil to hold capillary water, which is the only kind plant growth can use. depends on CD the soil texture tf- e. the size of the soil grain (29 the soil structure or the grouping of these tiny grains info clusters. thus making it granular 63) the amount gree os soil filth, which is combined effect Of the foregoing and Haze.
 Apples rtpen q bit later upon a northerIy slope than on southern one. but an earlier soil on the north side Of Hill, such as sandy 1oam, may mature fruits as carly as a hea- yier soil On the south side.
 Good Depth Necessary
 The necessity for good depth of stroneiy Shallow soils should be as- HiduousIy avoided for orchard pur- poses. The presence of unbroken rock. large Hedges. or hardpan within considered prohibitive soil depth of at least six feet should be insisted upon. and an even greater d depth Is highly desirable Sof IS vi tn t he unE relying rock too near the s1rfacs7 have been responsible not mfr squent- chards owing to the incapacity of the subsoiI to store sufficient moisture to offset droughty conditions. or to get rid of excess moisture early enough iz1 the spring q he c ondd lion of trs ses growth and fruit yields makes 1t evil. dent that soils for any kind of orr chard planting should be deep, we'll drained and friable, yetxnot so porous as to be drougI1ty. For the red va rieties in New England both soil and subsoll should also be well 1adized as indicated by uniform brown yel- low or possible grayish broszn colo Fss Light gray cr Il1ottIed q c9fors should be avoided.
 stony Ioam is often recoranend- ed as desirable fruit soil. b1in stones are advantageous only ih that they may help 8 soil that is too heavy or cIayey or too impervious-b making tt somewhat more pervious to water. Stones are disa dvantageou to a po- rous sandy soil. The fact that "a soil Is stony does not necessarily i'm ply that it is productive. If apples are 10 be grown with prof1t and con1pe ti ton is keen the soil must be oroduc- tive least capable Of being brought to 2 productive slate and so maiufafned Much of the current Lelfef that gstonY soils possess some pecu1iar advantages for orchar fruits las undeubteeIy arisen from the suc- cess of many orchards located on stonxs hil1s
 The personal factor Of the orchard ist is Ifnportant because man who likes to STOW apples may grow very good ones in spite of adverse soil con- dItfons while one who does not care for rcflarding may not produce good apples even in excellent soiI.
 comInerciaI Apples.
 Tfe best Of the commercial apple orchards are cultivated until mid. of the cover crops. The sod-InuIch system Is also practiced to some ex- tent Tn the case of the sod-rnulct. care must be taken to prevent the growth of grass or weeds for a few feet beyond the outer tips of the branches, Grass in this place is more serious than if near the trunk be cause the feeding roots are under this portion of the soil. It must be ad- 1nlued, however, that a large part of the aggregate number of apple trees in both Massachusetts, and Connecti- cut regularIy receive neither cuItiva- ton nor nluiching- There are also tlousand upon thousands of seeding trees in These states that have not been grated to impr owe varieties.
 The report devotes a number of pages to a discussion of the kinds of e3iI best suited to each of inc leading commercial varieties of apples. The following is a stiruTnary of the general concIuelons as to the relations Of soils to apples
 ae diferent varieties of apples do moi succeed equally we'll on all soils.