252 BOARD OF AGETCULTURE. 



are well cared for, I think that, acre for acre, taking one year with an- 

 other, the apple is as profitable as the peach. However, I am not pre- 

 pared to say that as a fact. We have an orchard closely located to South 

 Haven, in which there are about three or four hundred trees— not a very 

 large orchard. That orchard has been carefully cared for the last three 

 or four years, pruned, sprayed and plowed, and it has produced each 

 year, since it has been given that treatment, a satisfactory crop. The 

 crop has been sold this season upon the tree. The buyer was a Chicago 

 fruit dealer, and he did not even come to examine the condition of the 

 crop. He asked if we had as much as we had two years ago when he 

 bought the crop, and we said we did, and he bouglit the crop without see- 

 ing it. I mention this as one instance in which the profit is extremely 

 good. I am not pi-epared to say the apple is in all instances as profitable 

 as the peach, but even in our neglected orchards they have often been 

 the most profitable part of the farm. It remains to be seen, if given 

 good care, what can be done. The market is always good for good apples. 



President Hobbs: The next numli«r on the program is "Feeding the 

 Trees," by Professor Huston, State Chemist, Lafayette. I have the pleas- 

 ure of introducing to you Prof. H. A. Huston, who will address you on 

 this subject. 



ORCHARD FERTILIZERS. 



BY H. A. HUSTON, STATE CHEMIST OF INDIANA, PURDUE UNIVERSITY. 



It is oujy recently that much attention has been given to the use of 

 fertilizers in orchards. When the country was first settled fruit trees were 

 planted in the virgin soil and abundant crops of fine fruit are said to have 

 been produced. This result may have given rtse to the common opinion 

 that fruit trees, like forest trees, require very little attention and that 

 they can obtain a full supply of plant food from the soil. The bad condi- 

 tion of many of the fruit trees in the State and the small amount of fruit 

 produced per tree leads us to believe that this opinion is not well founded 

 The growth of a forest and that of an orchard are very different. In 

 the case of forest growth no crop of any kind is removed, and the foliage 

 and fruit are returned to the soil and decay on its surface, forming a layer 

 of vegetable mould rich in plant food 'and humus which is such a valu- 

 able ingredient of virgin soils. So far as active soil fertility is 'concerned 

 the growth of a forest must be regarded as a process of soil improvement. 



On the other hand, the growth of an orchard is a process of reducing 

 soil fertility, for crops of fruit are removed and even the fallen leaves do 



