Plant-Food and Use of Fertilizers. 



161 



should be increased considerably, also inoculate the field with soil from an 

 alfalfa patch which has an abundance of nodules on the roots. 



Stable manure is probably the best fertilizer to use owing to its beneficial 

 efTect upon the physical condition and bacterial activity of the soil. 



APPLES. — (Trees Over Ten Years Old.) 



Relative proportions available plant- 

 food. Pounds per acre, f 



Nitrogen 8 to 16 



I'hosphoric acid 30 to 60- 



I>otash 50 to 100 . 



Pounds material for one acre. 

 50 to 100 nitrate of soda ; or 

 40 to 80 sulphate of ammonia ; or 

 120 to 240 fish guano ; or 

 1,600 to 3,200 stable manure. 

 240 to 480 acid phosphate ; or 



75 to 150 double superphosphate : or 

 300 to 600 ground bone. 

 100 to 200 muriate of potash ; or 

 100 to 200 sulphate of potash ; or 

 400 to 800 kainlte ; or 

 1,000 to 2,000 wood ashes. 



Do not apply at base of tree but sow broadcast. Generally slow-acting 

 forms of fertilizers are cheaper and desirable to use. Wood ashes are excel- 

 lent for apple trees. Care should be taken not to use an excess of nitrogen. 

 The cheapest and best way to add nitrogen to the orchard soil is to grow 

 leguminous crops such as vetch, crimson clover, or peas and plow under when 

 they attain medium height. In this way both nitrogen and humus are added 

 to the soil and its texture improved. 



APRICOTS. — (Trees Over Five Years Old.) 



Nitrogen 10 to 20 



food. Pounds per acre, f 



Relative proportions available plant- j 

 I'hosphoric acid 30 to 60^ 



I'otash 45 to 90 j 



I 



Pounds material for one acre. 

 60 to 120 nitrate of soda; or 

 50 to 100 sulphate of ammonia ; or 



l.^O to 300 fish guano; or 

 2 000 to 4,000 stable manure. 



240 to 480 acid phosphate ; or 

 75 to 150 double superphosphate ; or 



300 to 600 ground bone. 

 90 to 180 muriate of potash ; or 

 90 to 180 sulphate of potash ; or 



360 to 720 kainite ; or 



900 to 1,800 wood ashes. 



Sow broadcast in all cases. If trees are making vigorous growth and 

 foliage is dark and luxuriant, the amount of nitrogen should be diminished. It 

 is advisable to use some leguminous cover crop as a means of adding nitrogen 

 and humus to the soil. 



ARTICHOKES.— (JerMsaiew.) 



Relative proportions available plant- 

 food. Pounds per acre, f 



Nitrogen 15 to 30 " 



r 



Phosphoric acid 36 to 72 



r 



I'otash 50 to 100 j 



Pounds material for one acre. 

 90 to 180 nitrate of soda ; or 

 75 to 150 sulphate of ammonia ; or 

 225 to 450 fish guano ; or 

 3,000 to 6,000 stable manure. 

 290 to 580 acid phosphate ; or 

 90 to 180 double superphosphate ; or 

 360 to 720 ground bone. 

 100 to 200 muriate of potash; or 

 100 to 200 sulphate of potash; or 

 400 to 800 kainite ; or 

 1,000 to 2,000 wood ashes. 



Artichokes are hardy, rank growers and since their period of growth 

 extends over several months, the cheaper, less active form of plant-food may 

 be profitably used. 



HOR. 11 



