10 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I903. 



NOTES ON THE GROWTH OF TREES, I902. 



The following summary of the actual growth of the trees on 

 the several plots under observation may be of use in future 

 studies. 



Variety. 



Treatment. Growth in inches; 

 unfertilizecl. 



Growth in inches; 

 stable manure. 



Growth in inches ; 

 commercial ^ 

 fertilizer. 



Gravenstein 

 Tallman — 



Cultivated 

 Mulched... 

 Cultivated 

 Mulched 



7i-9i (12 trees) 

 5i-7i (9 " ) 



2t-4i ( 3 



) 



7 -8 (8 trees) 

 7 -8k (6 " ) 

 6|-8| (6 '• ) 

 6^-81 (6 " ) 



8i- 9 (7 trees) 



10 -12 (2 " )* 



7 - 8U6 " ) 



5 - 6i (5 " ) 



* These trees were in slight depression and next to the cultivated area. 



rigure^"5. Gravenstein tree, spreading form. 



With a single exception, in which two trees had particularly 

 good advantages, the growth on the mulched areas was less than 

 on corresponding cultivated plots. On cultivated soil there was 

 little increase in growth from the use of either manure or com- 

 mercial fertilizer ; while on the mulched land the growth was 

 noticeably (2 to 5 inches) greater, as a result of adding plant 

 foods. These facts would indicate that there is enough plant 

 food in the soil to produce a fairly satisfactory growth if the 

 mechanical treatment is such as to render it available, and other 

 plants are not allowed to rob the trees. 



