When crumb structure breaks down, as it does on the whole more quickly on sandy soils than on clay soils, there's a build-up of carbon dioxide in the soil, (a) because it cannot get away, and (b) the air cannot penetrate.
It cannot be produced in a year or so, neither can it be quickly replaced when once it has been destroyed. The really shallow soil must however always be treated with suspicion by fruit growers, and one which is less than 12 inches deep should be left alone. If, however, the rock below the 12 inches is soft, then the roots may even penetrate through this. It is important therefore to dig down and see what the depth of the soil really is.
It must not be thought that the opinions given are those of the writer only. Dr. W. S. Rogers, D.Sc., M.A., the Head of the Pomology Department at the East Mailing Research Station, once said in a lecture to fruit growers : 'Organic matter in the soil is important in many ways. It is a regulator of water-supply; it acts as a kind of chemical sponge; it is a reservoir of nutrients more or less ready balanced. It affects the biological condition of the soil.
For instance, its effect on mycorrhiza may be important. It affects the earthworm population. It plays a most important Tart in maintaining soil structure, for it supplies the energy material necessary for the activity of the microorganisms which produce crumb structure in soils. The presence of organic matter helps to prevent soil erosion.
Sometimes it is absolutely necessary owing to a very high bird population to plant the soft fruits in a cage. Usually this applies particularly to redcurrants, raspberries and strawberries, but the writer has known cases where the birds have gone for blackcurrants and blackberries also. A cage is somewhat expensive to erect, but as it is reasonably permanent, it should last twenty years or so. Some people like to have a wire-netting surround and a fish-netting top. Then each winter the fish netting can be removed for drying before being stored away.
Fruit cage is built against the garden wall, on one side, so as to save netting; it is 6 feet high so that gardeners can work in it without having to bend almost double; and it holds 16 redcurrant bushes, 8 blackcurrant bushes, 48 raspberry canes, 6 blackberries and loganberries, and 3 pears on the back wall. The wire netting has to be 1 inch mesh to keep the birds out. There is a gate at one end.
It cannot be produced in a year or so, neither can it be quickly replaced when once it has been destroyed. The really shallow soil must however always be treated with suspicion by fruit growers, and one which is less than 12 inches deep should be left alone. If, however, the rock below the 12 inches is soft, then the roots may even penetrate through this. It is important therefore to dig down and see what the depth of the soil really is.
It must not be thought that the opinions given are those of the writer only. Dr. W. S. Rogers, D.Sc., M.A., the Head of the Pomology Department at the East Mailing Research Station, once said in a lecture to fruit growers : 'Organic matter in the soil is important in many ways. It is a regulator of water-supply; it acts as a kind of chemical sponge; it is a reservoir of nutrients more or less ready balanced. It affects the biological condition of the soil.
For instance, its effect on mycorrhiza may be important. It affects the earthworm population. It plays a most important Tart in maintaining soil structure, for it supplies the energy material necessary for the activity of the microorganisms which produce crumb structure in soils. The presence of organic matter helps to prevent soil erosion.
Sometimes it is absolutely necessary owing to a very high bird population to plant the soft fruits in a cage. Usually this applies particularly to redcurrants, raspberries and strawberries, but the writer has known cases where the birds have gone for blackcurrants and blackberries also. A cage is somewhat expensive to erect, but as it is reasonably permanent, it should last twenty years or so. Some people like to have a wire-netting surround and a fish-netting top. Then each winter the fish netting can be removed for drying before being stored away.
Fruit cage is built against the garden wall, on one side, so as to save netting; it is 6 feet high so that gardeners can work in it without having to bend almost double; and it holds 16 redcurrant bushes, 8 blackcurrant bushes, 48 raspberry canes, 6 blackberries and loganberries, and 3 pears on the back wall. The wire netting has to be 1 inch mesh to keep the birds out. There is a gate at one end.
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