far the best growth for most kinds of nut trees, as well as the best
production of nuts, is to be found where trees are planted in deep loam.
Next come the trees in clay loam; then come trees in sandy loam and in
clay over sand or gravel. Numerous complaints of poor growth come from
members who have trees set in a soil which is shallow over rock or
hard-pan. Some of the hazels and butternuts are reported as able, for a
time at least, to establish themselves in such soils, but their fight
for survival seems precarious and is apparently short-lived. Black
walnuts, particularly, require deep, rich soils into which their long
taproots can easily penetrate. This is one of the few nut tree facts so
definitely established that there can no longer be any doubt about it.
The reports show that the planting of black walnuts in any but good deep
soil should be discouraged. It leads only to disappointment and often to
loss of interest.

A somewhat sandy soil, particularly if loamy, seems adapted to the
planting of chestnuts and to such trees as do well on ground that will
successfully grow peach trees. If such soil is found upon a hillside or
hill top, so much the better. All such soils, of course, require more
attention to fertility maintenance, for they leach out more quickly than
soils with more of a clay constituent.

Do any of the nut tree species prefer an acid to an alkaline soil? This
is a question our questionnaire does not answer. Thirty correspondents
say their trees are set in a lime soil, fourteen in an alkaline soil
(which may or may not, in the commonly accepted usage of that term, have
lime as a source of alkalinity). Sixty-one report an acid soil. Only
eight of this group report the use of lime, two the use of bone meal,
and one of wood ash as acid correctives. Unfortunately, we did not ask
definitely about the reaction of trees to the use or non-use of lime.
Puzzled by this comparative neglect of lime as a corrective on acid
soils, we asked Mr. H. F. Stoke, of Roanoke, Va., a very accurate and
acute observer, who had reported plantings in both kinds of soils, what
his experience had been. Also we asked Miss Mildred Jones, whose
experience with nut trees is second to none, the same question. Their
replies follow:

Mr. Stoke says: "In response to your inquiry, 'What nut trees, if any,
do best in acid soils?' I should reply that the chestnut leads the list,
followed closely by the mockernut hickory.

"Throughout