THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



due to insects or lack of care in the 

 usual sense. It never occurred to us 

 that perhaps there was a lacking of fer- 

 tility in the soil. At the same time, we 

 were growing wheat, adding manure and 

 even commercial fertilizers to get a 

 maximum crop. We had used every 

 method in the development of the field 

 crops but perfectly neglected the orchard. 

 Not intentionally either, but because we 

 thought it was not necessary and that an 

 orchard had an easy time of it anyway. 



But soon after I went to College, I 

 studied plant growth, chemistry, etc. 

 My eyes were soon opened. I soon 

 realized that the depletion of the 

 land by the fruit trees is more serious 

 than by annual crops, for this fact : 

 plant foods are locked up for many 

 years in the trunks and branches of the 

 trees, while a large part of the fertiliz- 

 ing elements in the common crops is 

 returned to the soil each year. Besides 

 the fruit taken off, removes plant food 

 that is seldom ever returned. 



It has been estimated that an acre of 

 apples during the bearing season will 

 remove about 49 lbs. of nitrogen, 38 lbs. 

 of phosphoric acid, and 72 lbs. of potash, 

 the value of which would be $12, at 

 the average prices paid for fertilizing 

 material furnishing these ingredients on 

 the market. Is it any wonder then that 

 orchards are failing ? Taking from the 



soil that amount of plant food each 

 year, it is only natural that the time 

 soon comes when one gets but a partial 

 crop. In ten years the amount of plant 

 food removed from the soil will amount 

 to $120. Now for the orchard land to 

 be kept in perfect bearing condition, 

 these fertilizing elements must be re- 

 turned in some form. 



We know the value of clover, cow 

 peas, vetches, crimson clover, etc., in 

 adding nitrogen to the soil. Fruit trees 

 require humus. Plow up the orchard 

 and sow clover, then keep the orchard 

 clean and clear of weeds and insects. 

 Humus is added, and at the same time 

 an abundance of nitrogen is supplied to 

 the soil for the use of the trees. It re- 

 mains then only to use phosphoric acid 

 and potash, which can be readily ob- 

 tained in the form of acid phosphate 

 and muriate of potash, an average dose 

 of these would be about 300 lbs. of the 

 former, and 200 lbs. of the latter. It 

 would be better to apply the potash and 

 phosphate before the clover is sown, as 

 they will assist in making a full crop of 

 clover, which means the absorption of 

 larger quantities of nitrogen, and the 

 whole mass turned under will improve 

 both the physical and chemical condi- 

 of the soil. — Charles W. Burkett. 



Ohio State University. 



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