Fertilizers for Peach Orchards 165 



cowpeas, soybeans, red clover, and other leguminous crops 

 may be easily grown upon such soils, and all collect nitrogen 

 from the air in considerable quantities." 



From a comprehensively planned series of experiments 

 in the same line on peaches at the Delaware Experiment 

 Station, McCue ^ makes these deductions : 



''Careful observations have been made of the effect of 

 different fertilizing elements upon color. This work is as 

 yet incomplete, but our tentative conclusion is that any 

 effect of nitrogen, potash, or phosphoric acid upon color is 

 secondary. The blocks heavily fertilized with nitrogen 

 have been deficient in color, but this defect has been due 

 to the profuse growth of foliage shutting off the light from the 

 fruit. The potash blocks have had practically the same 

 intensity of color as the check block. There is a suggestion 

 that heavy applications of phosphoric acid may have a 

 deadening effect upon color. These blocks while apparently 

 having as much color as the potash or check blocks, have at 

 the same time lacked in sprightliness of color. The color 

 seemed to lack life and character. The effect is hard to 

 describe in words, but I think that you will catch my 

 meaning. 



"In general the health of the trees is characterized by 

 greenness and freshness of foliage. Plots that were treated 

 with nitrogen or combinations of nitrogen and potash are 

 characterized by their general thriftness. No diameter 

 measurements have been made from year to year as it has 

 been considered that a careful study of the annular rings 

 after the trees have been cut dow^n will give much more 

 accurate data. 



"The tests for keeping quality of the fruit from the 

 1 Proc. of the Soc. for Hort. Science, 1914, pp. 88-89. 



