11 Feb,., 1918.] Apjjie Culture in Victoria. 87 



process of fermentation aud decomposition render the plant food which 

 it contains amenable to assimilation by the soil, and fits it to be absorbed 

 by the feeding roots. 



The amount of actual plant foods contained in animal manures is 

 small compared with the artificial fertilizers, and when the quantity of the 

 former procurable is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the 

 orchardists, fertilizers are used either by themselves or in conjunction 

 with the organic manures. 



Organic manures improve the mechanical condition of all classes of 

 soil, but the benefits they confer are most apparent in loose sandy loams 

 and light cilurian soils of the retentive character. Their incorporation 

 in the former supplies humus, which absorbs and retains moisture, and 

 actsi as a repository for the plant food within easy reach of the roots. 

 As well as generally enriching the latter, the organisms in the manure 

 when decomposed multiply the soil's interspaces and prevent its packing 

 hard. The amount of stable manure necessary for a dressing depends 

 on the nature of the soil to be treated, its mechanical state and con- 

 dition of fertility, the health of the trees, and the fruit prospects of the 

 orchard for the following season. The best method of applying stable 

 manure is to spread a fairly liberal supply of same over the whole of the 

 trees' root-feeding areas during late winter, and it should be ploughed 

 under as soon as the soil conditions become favorable in early spring. 



It is desirable that the crude plant food contained in the manure 

 should be made available in a soluble form for the feeding roots as soon 

 as growth commences. This object may be attained by the early plough- 

 ing in of the manure to promote its decomposition, and facilitate the 

 necessary chemical changes in its constituents which fit them for assimi- 

 lation by the soil. 



Artificial Manures. 



Fruit-growers with orchards in the proximity of cities have mostly been 

 obtaining their supplies of manure from stables connected with business 

 establishments. 



Owing to the great increase in motor traffic during recent years, 

 however, the quantity available is becoming considerably restricted, and 

 the orchardists are obliged to make up the deficiency with artificial 

 manures. 



It is realized that, owing to the apparent permanent shortage of 

 stable manure, together with the increasing cost of labour and other 

 expense in handling same, many orchardists will be obliged to rely 

 entirely on artificial fertilizers, with green manure to supply the humus. 



The fertilizers in most general use are superphosphate and bone dust. 

 These are usually mixed in equal proportions, and, in the case of 

 orchards in full bearing, applied in quantities varying from 7 lbs. to 

 10 lbs. per tree according to circumstances. 



When the soil is of a stiff nature and liable to dry hard, it is 

 advisable to mix this manure in the proportion of 2 of bone dust to 1 of 

 super., as the latter, when used continuously on this class of soil, 

 exaggerates the evil. But super, may, with advantage, preponderate in 

 a mixture for use on friable clay or sandy soil containing plenty of 

 humus. 



This class of manure is generally applied prior to the flowering stage. 

 The land is first ploughed, and while in the rough the fertilizer is 

 distributed evenly over the whole of the trees' root pasturage, and then 

 harrowed in. 



