SOILS FOR FRUIT-TREES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1363, 30 March 1868, Page 8

SOILS FOR FRUIT-TREES.

Tub mechanical composition of soil ih of tho greatest impoit'inco to tho cultivator. Soils which enntuin too much clny are so fur impervious to ilio action of atmospho io agency ai to bo ill-suite! for the growth of plants until their cohosivo partiulus uro broken up and divided by exposure to the atmosphere. To such eoils tho addition of any mineral substances wheh will keep the oluyey partiuies frou again uniting lifter disintegration ato of the highest value, as they permit tho passugo of water through tho soil, unci a Itnit also tho uir to follow—an important agent in liberating tho pent-up gu»ee, and thereby effecting new combinations, forming plantfood.

It must bo ol.*h/ul ui this that the more frequently noils whic'u contain clay in excoes (oluyoy Bnd heavy loams) are turned ovur and exposed to the atmosphere, tho more fertile they will become and the knowledge of this furnishes us with the best means of cultivating heavy eoiltt. On tha contrary, soil containing too much sand suffer from the Opposite law ; the rains po.BB through them too quickly, hence they frequently suffer from drought; and the ease with which tho roots of plants penetrate such soil, and the facility they afford to the action of the atmosphere, cause a rapid development and abstraction of thi plant-food; hence the rapid growth of Tegetalion on such, soils while supplied with moisture, and thuir quick exhaustion of the supplies for vegetable growth, soils require very frequent manuring and less working than heavier eoile, and the beet of all dressings foi- them uro clays, marls, and calcareous matter generally.

Calcareous soils rarely burn or dry up in hot weL'hor, and are admirably adaptod, when of sufficient depth, and contain a crtnin quantity of clay in their composition, for thi; growth of rr.nny kinds of plants. Taken us a rlllo, plants thriving on calcireous soil- 1 ] refuse to grow on peat soils, and vice versa.

Peaty soils consist of peat proper and bog soils. Peat and bog-earths diflor but littlo in coirpoHition. Both uro composed of organic mutter formed by the gradual docy "f moasoa and othrr minute forme <>f vegetation which, in the case of b\3g earth, has cnsUted ulao of aquatic plants. Peaty soils, generally epeitking, are not very fertile for general purposes. Their composition is too light and spongy for large-rooted plints, and to fit them for the purpose if gardening (except for thn growth of their own particular kind of plants) they require dressing with clay, marl, or otheir heavy composts. Lime is of tho greatest uso to peat soils in promoting tho decomposition of tho woody fibre, and in neutralising certain acids largely intermixed with them.

The abovo brief sketch of the principal divisions of soils will Hhow our readers tho general features of their chardci.er.-t, and enable amateurs and non-pro-feosionale to judge in eome moasuru for thomselvee of the nature of the soils with which they mny have (o deal. The soil most conducive to the health and productiveness of lruit-treen, is unquestionably one containing a cartain proportion of clay and calcareous matter, mixed with other ingredients, to keep it mechanically open. The marly loams of the new red are very favour iblu for fruit-trees, und as

o know these comi.it of cluy, and a Bin ill percontago of the carbonates and sulphates of lime, we may coner.ler -oila containing the latt«r ingredients, wiien not in excess, favourable for fruit-trees generally.

The vast tract of coantry devoted to orchards in tho department cf Normandy and other parts of Frunco are nil on soils of this description, on which the apple and pear trees attain a very large i-ize, and gre it longevity. The apple, pear, peach, and apricot may b« cu'led heavy-euil plan's, in the order in wliieh wo have placed them The plum will bear a wider range of Boila that other kinds of fruit-trves. whilo the oherry prefers one more sandy, or where the dniinaL'O powers of the soi are moro complete. Wo sometime- hear the observation made thai. :he original quality of the soil ia not of so much consequence for fruit-trees, as it cm bu ea»i!y improved by manuring; indfiod, with somn this reference to the manure heap is the universal remer'y for unhe.lthy fruit trees, and only eerv- a to show how imp' tho action of soils on tho constitution of fruit trees has been noticed.

i w o far an our experi°nco leads us to givo iin opinion, we beli°ve tho application of mnnure to ftono frui s is fata!, nnl to othere a v»»ry equivocal remedy, where the soil ie naturally unfavourable. Many kindd til fruits are knovin to bo extremely faetidious as to eoil, and it is equally truo that somo varieties in each class will grow more freely than othors in unfavourable soils. The question to be solved ie, to account Hatiefucto ily for so great a difference in members of the same family. Wo shall not go so fur as to say that a particular soil and climate originatei tho peculiarities known to exist among frui's; but one thing ie certain, that whilo some varieties of fruit refuse to grow with any vigour beyond a very limited range or tract of country, others of thu sumo class appear almost indillerent as to soil or situation.

The vine, which, under a few restrictions as to soil, fl'iurishee throughout tho totnperato regions o. the old world, producing its luscious fruit, and no less generous yi've, from the 21 ° to the 51 ° of north latitude, when to America, produces fruit of vory inferior valuo; .ts rich vinous flavour deteriorates, and its jiiico cannot be converted into anything aporoaching the wines of France, Spain, or the Uhine, and yet it it d fficult to understand why this in the cjiso Tho climate • 1 the I'ni'ed St:itee is equally bright and warm ae in those parts of Europe whore the richest fruit and most generous winei are pro iueeri, and thero is not that uppre iable diffi'rence in the Hoil to account for the change produced in the European vine wht:n transported across the Atlantic. Indeed, w.> find thono v-trieties of the vine indipenoua to the American s"il e»pe: ially vigorous and pro luctive, and as such are almost exclusively cultivated, though most decidedly inferior.

Kut although the climate of America doei not euit European vine-, pears, penches, anil apples ijrow to great perfection. of the apples ntired in America are not surpassed by the finest Kuropenn kinds ; and America may well bo proud of such sterling varieties of the plum as the Jefferson and W.t-hin«ton, Hβ well as several firitt-rnto kinds of peach and cherry. But looking ai tho question in reference to our imniadiateinquiry, we find there, ae hero an 1 elsewhere, that tho eamo peculiarities as to soil and locality exist, according to the annals of American pomol gists. Wo hope to see steps taken by eo'ne of our horticultural friends to form a Pomological Bocio'y in Melbourne, bo that the proper nornenolaturo of fruits mey be more reliably arranged than it is at present. One of the dutiee of such a society should lie also to uncertain the cause of those peculiarities in the habit, flavour, and productiveness of fruits aa effected by soils nd climate; such inquiries would be of tho ntmnst importunes to fruit-growers, und we liopo in lima sufficient evidence will be collected to form exact data as to the influence cerVun soils exercise on the quality of fruits, which, when once ascertained, would greatly fauilitate the tllorts of the fruitgrower, nd make success more certain.