FlFTl-I IK.ST ANNUAL REPORT. 139 



returns on the money expended in added fruit next fall where it was 

 applied. The sulphate of ammonia came too late to do much goorl and 

 was distril)uted about the middle of June. While it had some effect 

 upon the foliage I question whether it has added materially to the fruit 

 buds, but as my foliage as a whole was good last summer, if I am not 

 mistaken the trees have plenty of fruit buds for a crop of apples next 

 fall, the fertilized portion showing up somewhat better than the unferti- 

 lized. But what effect did I have relativelj^ speaking where I had used 

 Sulphate of ammonia on the orchard the previous year in my apple crop 

 last fall? On the cultivated area where I had used nitrogen on the one 

 row in addition to acid phosphate 1 could see no marked advantage over 

 the balance of the trees under cultivation, the apples were no larger, 

 the trees no fuller, and the trees had no perceptible added growth over 

 the others. 



Where ammonia had been applied to the trees on the same row in the 

 sod it had increased the yield double over others in the sod I would think, 

 and had added materially to the growth of the trees, and was money well 

 spent. Some are under the impression that acid phosphate will add color 

 to apples. On my soil it does the opposite as I believe will be found true 

 with anything which adds vigor, growth and foliage to the trees. Too 

 much either acid phosphate or nitrogen will make apples more inclined 

 to coarseness, Baldwin spot, water core and a deadening of color. It is 

 my opinion the proper amount can only be told by experimenting, with 

 the various types of soil and conditions of culture. If apple trees are 

 not vigorous and the soil is badly worn out no doul:)t acid phosphate 

 and chemical nitrogen will prove their worth on the average Michigan 

 soils, under either sod mulch or cultivation. With cultivation good soil 

 and plenty of humus and nitrogen in the soil, my experience would lead 

 me to Ijelieve that acid phosphate alone would be the thing to add, as I 

 think it has been found that most of our soils lack phosphorus, but under 

 such conditions I would be a little cautious in using much commercial 

 nitrogen. With acid phosphate and a good cover crop of vetch and rye 

 and cultivation I have found my orchard carrying as heavy loads of 

 apples as I would want during the last two years with prospects of a 

 bumper crop again next year and no helpful signs showing where com- 

 mercial nitrogen was used in addition to the phosphate. But on sod my 

 observation would indicate that a liberal use of nitrogen in some form 

 and acid phosphate would improve the general health of the tree, and 

 add much to the crops as certainly my experience in using acid phosphate 

 alone on my sodded orchard in 1918 and the subsequent crop harvested 

 the next year proves without doubt it was beneficial to a high degree and 

 my experiment in 1919 and the subsequent crop in 1920 indicates the 

 value of commercial nitrogen in apple raising on my type of soil. 



My advice to apple growers who have not already used commercial 

 fertilizers is to at least try them out in an experimental way, especially 

 sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda and acid phosphate. You may 

 be astonished at the results. 



Chairman: Mr. Flory of South Haven will now take up the subject 

 on Small Fruits. 



Mr. Flory: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: My experience 

 with commercial fertilizers is simply a personal matter with me and 

 used mainly with gooseberries and currants covering a period of ten 



