300 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF MANURING ORCHARDS. 



some inherent defect in the soil, and looks 

 to the chemist for aid. 



We are glad to be able to say, this aid 

 is forthcoming. Many valuable analyses 

 of the ashes of trees and plants, have been 

 made lately at Giessen, and maj'- be found 

 in the appendix to the last edition of Lie- 

 big's Agricultural Chemistry * And still 

 more recently, Dr. Emmons of Albany, well 

 known by his labors in the cause of scien- 

 tific agriculture,! has devoted considerable 

 time and attention to ascertaining the ele- 

 ments which enter into the composition of 

 the i7wrga7iic -parts of trees. 



The result of this investigation we con- 

 sider of the highest importance to the fruit 

 cultivator and the orchardist. In fact, 

 though still imperfect, it clears up many 

 difficult points, and gives us some basis for 

 a more philosophical system of manuring 

 orchards than has yet prevailed. 



The importance of the gaseous and more 

 soluble manures — ammonia, nitrogen, etc., 

 to the whole vegetable kingdom, has long 

 been pretty thoroughly appreciated. The 

 old-fashioned, practical man, dating from 

 Noah's time, who stands by his well-rotted 

 barn-yard compost, and the new-school 

 disciple, who uses guano and liquid ma- 

 nures, are both ready witnesses to prove the 

 universal and vital importance of these ani- 

 mal fertilizers, — manures that accelerate 

 the growth and give volume and bulk to 

 every part of a tree or plant. 



But the value and importance of the 

 heavier and more insoluble earthy elements 

 have often been disputed, and, though ably 

 demonstrated of late, there are still com- 

 paratively few who understand their ap- 

 plication, or who have any clear and defi- 

 nite ideas of their value in the economy of 

 vegetable structure. 



* Published by Wiley & Putnam, New- York, 

 t See his quarto vol. on the Agriculture of Neiv-York, lately 

 published, and forming part of The State survey. 



To get at the exact quantities of these 

 ingredients, which enter into the composi- 

 tion of plants, it is necessary to analyse 

 their ashes. 



It is not our purpose, at the present mo- 

 ment, to go beyond the limits of the or- 

 chard. We shall therefore confine our- 

 selves to the most important elements which 

 make up the wood and bark of the apple, 

 the pear, and the grape vine. 



According to Dr. Emmons's analysis, in 

 100 parts of the ashes of the sap-ivood of 

 the apple tree, there are three elements that 

 greatly preponderate, as follows : 16 parts 

 potash, 17 parts phosphate of lime, and 18 

 parts Zme. In the hark of this tree, there 

 are 4 parts potash and 51 parts lime. 



100 parts of the ashes of the sap-wood of 

 the pear tree, show 22 parts of potash, 27 

 parts of phosphate of lime, and 12 parts of 

 lime ; the bark giving 6 parts of potash, 6 

 parts of phosphate, and 30 parts of lime. 



The analysis of the common wild grape 

 vine, shows 20 parts o{ potash, 15 parts phos- 

 phate of lime, and 17 parts lime to every 100 

 parts ; the bark giving 1 part potash, 5 parts 

 phosphate of li^ne, and 39 parts of lime. 



Now, no intelligent cultivator can examine 

 these results (which we have given thus in 

 the rough* to simplify the matter,) without 

 being conscious at a glance, that this large 

 necessity existing in these fruit trees for 

 potash, phosphate of lime, and lime, is not at 

 all provided for by the common system of 



* The following are Dr. Emmons's exact analyses : 



ASU OF TH£ PEAB. 



Sap-wood. Bark. 



Potash, 22.25 6.20 



Soda 1.84 



Chlorine, 0.31 1.70 



Sulphuric acid, 0.50 1.80 



Phosphate of lime, 27.22 6.50 



Phosphate of peroxide of iron, 0.31 



Carbonic acid, 27.69 37.29 



Lime, 12.64 30.36 



Magnesia, 3.00 9.40 



Silex, 0.30 0.40 



Coal, 0.17 0.65 



Organic matter, 4.02 4.20 



100.25 98.30 



