FIFTY-FIRST ANNUAL R?]PORT. 25 



We know of no experiments that show that nitrate of soda is bene- 

 ficial when no grasses are in the orchard, and there are many experiments 

 in New York that show that it is not beneficial. The above explanation 

 would therefore appear to harmonize what has usually been considered 

 contradictory evidence, and no one will question the very great need 

 that exists for co-ordinating and harmonizing the results of the immense 

 amount of labor and expense that has already been incurred and that is 

 causing still furtiier waste of dollars by fruit growers who are governing 

 their actions by one set of experiments or another without a full knowl- 

 edge of the facts entering into the case. 



H. H. D. 



Member: Have you ever tried growing young trees in sod in connec- 

 tion with nitrate? 



Cruickshank: We are able to grow young trees in sod if nitrated. 



Ballard: In regard to June grass I want to say that we have had a 

 Duchess orchard in sod for thirty-five years and they have been yielding 

 good. Has the application of sulphate a tendency to sour the soil? 



Cruickshank: We have not been using sulphate of ammonia very 

 long in orchards. Experiment with field crops show an accumulation 

 of acidity. If used year after year, enough lime to counteract the aciditj' 

 will probably have to be used. This would require perhaps a thousand 

 pounds to the acre every five years. 



RESULTS- OF ORCHARD FERTILIZATION IN W. F. FARRAND 



ORCHARDS, EATON RAPIDS. 



PROF. ROY E. MARSHALL, M. A. C. 



In the Spring of 1920 a fertilizer experiment consisting of five plots 

 of eighteen trees each was initiated in the Ben Davis orchard of W. F. 

 Farrand about one-half mile east of Eaton Rapids. This orchard is 

 about thirty-five j^ears old and is growing on a piece of practically level 

 land. The soil is very light in character and was in a very low state of 

 fertility. The orchard is growing in a sparse blue-grass sod. It had 

 been neglected so far as pruning and cultural practices are concerned 

 for several years; consequently the trees were in a very poor state of 

 vigor, had many dead and weak branches and twig growth and the 

 yields were low. 



The five plots were treated as follows: 



Plot 1. Sulphate of ammonia, 4 lbs. per tree 

 Plot 2. Nitrate of soda, 5 lbs. per tree 

 Plot 3. Check, no fertilizer 

 Plot 4. Acid Phosphate 10 lbs. per tree 



fSulphate of Ammonia, 4 lbs. per tree 

 Plot 5. JAcid Phosphate, 5 lbs. per tree 



[Muriate of potash, 3 lbs. per tree. 



These fertilizers were broadcasted under the spread of the branches 

 some two or three weeks after the blossoms fell — too late to accomplish 

 the best results for that year. The orchard received early sprays in 1920 

 but the later ones were omitted because the orchard failed to set sufficient 



