148 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The results as a whole tend to show that while Bordeaux mixtiire when 

 properly applied will control both brown blotch and the black spot, its tendency 

 to injure the fruit makes it desirable to weaken the mixture very much for the 

 earlier application or to substitute lime-sulphur for these sprayings. Cooperative 

 experiments with lime-sulphur, Pyrox, and Bordeaux conducted in a number of 

 orchards showed the lime-sulphur solution to be the most satisfactory of the 

 three. 



Fertilization and cultural m^ethods in apple orchards, ,T. P. Stewart {Penn- 

 sylvania Sta. Rpt. 1912, pp. Jf'J7-5G3). — In continuation of previous reports 

 (E. S. R., 28, p. 143) this paper presents the results of the station orchard ex- 

 periments in various parts of Pennsylvania up to the close of the fifth year. 

 The more practical results and deductions from these experiments have appeared 

 in subsequent bulletins of the station (E. S. R., 29, p. 437 ; 31. p. 45). 



The influence of cultural methods and cover crops, alone and with fertili- 

 zation, upon the yield, growth, and commercial quality of apples, .1. P. 

 Stewart {I'cmisi/lvcniia Stu. Rpt. 1913, pp. 429-.'i.52, pli. 7). — A progress report 

 on the station's long-continued cultural and fertilizer experiments with apples 

 (E. S. R., 28, p. 143; 29, p. 437). The results here given and discus.sed are de- 

 rived from nine experiments, located in different parts of the State, on seven 

 different types of soil. Four o( the experiments were started in 1907, and the 

 remainder in 1908. 



Summarizing the results .securwl in the youngest orchards, it appears that the 

 untilled and mulched apple trees have uniformly made a better growth during 

 the first five years than any of the trees receiving the usual orchard tillage and 

 cover crops. As compared with clean tillage alone, followed by weeds or 

 other natural growth, the addition of cover crops has not yet resultinl in any 

 material gain, and in certain cases they have appeared to check the growth of 

 the trees somewhat. The addition of vegetables or other tilled intercrops, when 

 accompanied by proper fertilization, has not materially reduced the gro\\'th of 

 the trees as compared with the other tillage methods. As measureil by their 

 effects on tree growth, hairy vetch and crimson clover have thus far proved best 

 of all leguminous plants, and millet, rape, and buckwheat have been the best 

 among the nonlegumes. The influence of cover crops on moi.sture supply in 

 both fall and spring often seems to be more important than their relation to 

 hunnis and plant food. Alfalfa for five years has proved very effective as a 

 mulch producer and as a permanent orchard cover when its growth is preventeil 

 from competing directly with the tree roots. In general, moisture conservation 

 appears to be more important to young trees than application of plant food. 



In the orchards of early bearing age the results of the exi^eriments are some- 

 what less clear and less imiform. The treatment involving the sod alone, how- 

 ever, has resulted uniformly in the least growth and the most highly colored 

 fruit of any of the treatments. Thus sod has usually exerted some stinuilating 

 influence on the yield. The high color in fruit is attributed to the hastening of 

 maturity in sod. The .stimulating effect on yields is believetl to be due primarily 

 to mild injury from the sod. The addition of a good mulch to the sod treatment 

 has increased the average yields by about 20 to 3."> bu. per acre annually in the 

 younger orchards. The addition of fertilization, with manure especially, has 

 generally resulted in smaller increases on the mulched areas than on the other 

 treatments. Tillage alone and also tillage and legmninous cover crops have 

 usually been surpassed by the mulch treatment, though in one experiment they 

 have excelled in most respects. The addition of cover crops has not yet shown 

 any material gain over plain tillage followed by weeds or other natural growth. 



Experiments in the more mature orchards have shown the tillage and cover- 

 crop treatment to be better than the other cultural methods with refenMuv to 



