JSToRMAL Institute ,, 1597 



FERTILIZERS FOR APPLES 



* " The trees in this experiment won hi have been practically as 

 well (iff had not an onnce of fertilizer been applied to them. One 

 mnst conclndo that, if fertilizers have no valne in this orchard, 

 thev have no value in many other orchards in jS'ew York. 



" From the data at hand there seems to he bnt one interpretation 

 of the resnlts of this experiment. An analysis of the soil before 

 the experiment was begnn shows that at that time there was, in 

 the npper foot of soil, enongli nitrogen per acre to last matnre 

 apple trees 183 years, of phospliorie acid, 295 years, of potash, 

 7l''3 years. From this well-nigh incxhanstiblc storehouse, tillage, 

 cover-crops and good care have made available all the plant food 

 these trees needed. 



" It may be necessary to fertilize some apple orchards in Xew 

 York. Snch cases will l)e fonnd on sandy and gravelly soils, on 

 lands snbject to drought, on very shallow soils and on soils devoid 

 of hnmns. Some soils may require one of the chief elements of 

 fertility ; some, though few, need the three which usually consti- 

 tute a complete fertilizer. 



''A fruit grower may assume that his trees do not need fertilizers 

 if they are vigorous and making a fair amount of new wood. If 

 the trees are not vigorous, the drainage, tillage and sanitary con- 

 dition of the orchard should be looked to first and the fertilization 

 afterward if then f(mnd necessary. Before using fertilizers the 

 fruit-grower should ol)tain positive evidence by experimentation 

 as to whether an orchard needs fertilizers, and what ones." 



COVER CROPS 



Orchardists need to be reminded rather than informed in regard 

 to cover crops. A combination cover crop is best, and vetch is 

 taking the place of clover. Twenty to thirty pounds of vetch to 

 a bushel and a half of oats or barley per acre is a good 

 combination. 



In cases where vetch has proved unsuccessful the first year, it 

 has been found that a very good crop can be grown the second year. 



* Prom Geneva Experiment Station P.ullofin No. 309. 



