Damon Boynton 283 



ficiency were decreased bloom and set, and smaller size; all of these 

 were probably the result of the decreased leaf surface due to rather ex- 

 treme nitrogen deficiency. Under the circumstances, even though no 

 increase in the amount of fruit grading as fancy occurred on the aver- 

 age due to the first increment of nitrogen, this increment was justified. 

 Had conditions been favorable for set in 1945, tne n g nt bloom which 

 occurred on the low nitrogen trees in that year would undoubtedly have 

 caused a markedly smaller crop than that on the M and H (high 

 nitrogen content) trees. There is no such justification for the second in- 

 crement in nitrogen. While there was growth response to it, the added 

 growth was never associated with total yield response and it was always 

 associated with decrease in fruit color. 



Figure 2 shows that there was also fluctuation from year to year in 

 the color of the fruit samples. It should be noted that there was a 

 nitrogen effect on fruit color even in 1942 when there was no effect of 

 nitrogen on yield, and that in 1944, the year of greatest crop, the 

 average fruit color was poorest. The fluctuations from year to year 



„ o 



1942 



1943 



1944 



1946 



1947 



Figure 2. Average percentage of fruit samples having fancy 

 color in a New York Mcintosh apple orchard under three 

 levels of nitrogen fertilization. Annual treatments: H trees, 1.5 

 lb. N; M trees, 1.0 lb. N; L trees, 0.5 lb. N. 



