3i6 State Horticultural Society. 



PERTILIZERS FOR THE ORCHARD. 



(Wm. H. Chandler of Missouri College of Agriculture.) 



For almost all crops the best fertilizer is stable manure. It con- 

 tains all the elements that are necessary to apply to the soil, and its 

 decay there improves the mechanical condition. That is, it makes 

 the soil more loose or porous. Compared with the prices paid for the 

 same amount of plant food in commercial fertilizers, a ton of fresh 

 stable manure is worth about $1.50 to $2.50. It cannot be obtained, 

 however, for the larger orchards of Missouri, so if fertilizers are ap- 

 plied to them it must be in some other form. 



In taking up the subject of commercial fertilizers it is well to 

 come to a clear understanding of what it is in them that the plant 

 needs. As you probably all know, the elements of plant food that the 

 soil is likely to be deficient in, are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. 

 These have a definite action in the plant. Nitrogen gives vigor and 

 health to the plant, causing a rich growth of stem and leaves. Where 

 it is present in excessive quantities there is likely to be a very large 

 wood growth at the expense of the fruit, and trees may continue to 

 grow late in the season when they ought to be ripening up their wood 

 for winter. This condition, however, is not likely to be found in any 

 of our fruit soils. Nitrogen is not found in large quantities in fruit. 

 A ton of wheat, for example, contains more than twenty times as 

 much nitrogen as a ton of apples. Less nitrogen will be needed, then, 

 for orchards than for grain crops. We may say that when the tree is 

 in a healthy condition, making a fair wood growth, no nitrogen need 

 be applied. This does not mean, however, that when a tree fails to 

 make sufficient wood growth it is always due to lack of nitrogen, for 

 lack of moisture, over fruiting, and other conditions more often pro- 

 duce this elfect. 



The visible effects of phosphorus are much less marked than 

 those of nitrogen. Experience shows, however, that it is very essen- 

 tial to plant growth. It is especially important in the formation of 

 seed, except in grapes ; this element also is found in much smaller 

 quantities in fruits than in grain crops, so, perhaps fruit soils may 

 not need as much phosphorus as do grain soils. 



Potash hastens the maturity of plants. It is of especial impor- 

 tance to fruit growers. Lt is contained in all those acids that give 

 fruits their acid flavor. Starch and similar compounds make up the 

 large bulk of all fruits, and the formation of these is very closely 



