164 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



If the farm is at such a distance from the coast as to make this substance too 

 expensive to use in the fresh state, it will be found economical to forego the organic 

 matter and nitrogen and reduce the sea-weed to ash, a ton of which would contain about 

 400 pounds of potash and 20 pounds of phosphoric acid, on the assumption that the ash 

 contained 15 per cent moisture. 



THE CHEMISTRY OF THE APPLE. 



In the Annual Report of the Experimental Farms for 1890, the results of a chemi- 

 cal investigation into the soil constituents required by the leaf of the apple tree, are co 

 be found. 



This work was commenced with the view of eliciting such information as would 

 assist the intelligent orchardist in a rational method of fertilizing. When the nature 

 and amount of plant food required by the apple tree in bearing is known, the first 

 steps towards this will have been taken. 



The leaves of the following varieties were analysed : Duchess of Oldenburg, 

 Tetofsky, Wealthy, Fameuse and Northern Spy, and their composition at two stages of 

 growth were given. 



This investigation has been continued during the past year by the chemical exami- 

 nation of the fruit of four of these varieties. 



The mineral matter and nitrogen (which together constitute the plant food taken 

 from the soil) annually assimilated are represented by the increase of wood, the leaves 

 and the fruit. That contained in the leaves is or may be practically all returned to the 

 soil, that removed by the gathering of the crop is now to be spoken of. 



In order, however, to present this subject of orchard requirements and fertilization 

 in as complete a way as possible (as well as for the sake of comparison), the table of 

 data from the 1890 report is here reproduced. For the deductions and conclusions there- 

 from, the reader may be referred to the text of the report afore-mentioned. 



