Fertilizers for Peach Orchards 167 



foods on the crushing and bending strength of peach wood, 

 McCue ^ concludes as follows : 



*'A detailed study of the results of this experiment fails 

 to throw very much light upon the influence of nitrogen, 

 potash, and phosphoric acid in strengthening or weakening 

 wood structures. The number of sticks tested was too 

 small to make the results conclusive. Almost as much 

 variation was found in strength of sticks from one block 

 as in the averages for the different blocks. While in a 

 general way the results are negative they seem to indicate 

 that no great stress can be laid upon fertilizing for strength 

 of wood. The fertilizer that is so balanced as to give the 

 most healthy growth will produce the strongest wood. 

 The writer believes that even greater differences in strength 

 of wood in the peach can be obtained by different pruning 

 methods than were obtained by different fertilizer treat- 

 ments." 



Some deductions made from fertilizer studies on peaches 

 by the Missouri Experiment Station confirm in part the 

 results of similar work elsewhere, but another element is 

 introduced on account of the climatic factors that need to 

 be considered in that part of the country. The following 

 statements ^ are interesting and suggestive : 



"Where nitrogen was applied to peach trees a good 

 crop was produced and harvested. On plots receiving no 

 fertilizer there was practically no crop. There was like- 

 wise a failure of peaches in the surrounding region where 

 no fertilizer was applied. The cold winter of 1911-12 was 

 disastrous to peach trees in INIissouri. Injury to peach trees 

 caused by the cold so weakened their vitality that disease 



1 Proc. of the Soc. for Hort. Science, 1915, p. 118. 



2 Mo. Expt. Sta. Bull. Ill, pp. 247-248. 



