88 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



Floral Edition. 



Pruning operations in the orchard of J. A. Campbell. .Vultsville, Ont. 



used. 



Note the type of ladder 



previously been in grain with which 

 red clover had been sown, as compared 

 with adjoining plots not seeded to 

 clover. The results were as follows : 



1st year. 

 straw grain 

 lbs. ibush. lbs. 



5.110 



65 



Banner oats ■where clover 



seed with the grain crop 



had been turned under 



Banner oats where no clover 



had been seeded with the 



grain crop 2,260 44 4 



Gain from clover 2,860 10 30 



2nd year. 

 Banner oats where clover 

 seed with the grain crop 



had been turned under 3,270 44 38 



Banner oats where no clover 

 had been seeded with the 

 grain crop 2,320 33 36 



Gain from clover 



950 



11 



A total gain of 3,800 lbs. straw, 21 

 bushels 32 lbs. grain for the two years 

 from seeding clover with the grain crop, 

 the growth of which was plowed under 

 in the fall of the same year. This in- 

 crease of crop is equal to approximately 

 twenty-five dollars, at present prices, 

 and the gain must have been due prin- 

 cipally to the one crop of clover. 



Similar tests with corn and potatoes 

 show the following gains : 



tons. lbs 

 Corn where clover sown with grain 



was plowed under 19 1,660 



Corn where no clover was plowed - ,,„ 



under 1» 1^ 



Gain from clover S ^'O 



Per acre. 

 Bush. lbs. 

 Potatoes wliere clover sown -with 



grain was plowed under 320 



Potatoes without clover 280 4U 



Gain from clover 39 20 



Repeated tests show that the clover 

 does not lessen the yield of grain when 

 seeded with it, and similarly a cover 

 crop is not a detriment in orchard prac- 

 tice, but rather a gain. 



It has been said that a good crop of 

 clover turned under is worth as much 

 in fertilizing value as ten tons of 

 manure per acre. It would seem from 

 what we can find out that this is pretty 



largely true. At least investigation 

 shows that a vigorous crop of clover 

 contains in stems, leaves and roots: 



100 lbs. Nitrogen. 

 30 lbs. Phosphoric Acid. 

 85 lbs. Potash. 



and well made barnyard manure from 

 well fed animals contains in one ton: 



10 ibs. nitrogen in 10 tons 100 lbs. 

 5 lbs. phosphoric acid In 10 tons 50 lbs. 

 9 lbs. potash in 10 tons 90 lbs. 



At the present price of commercial 

 fertilizer; that is, nitrate of soda seven- 

 ty dollars a ton, slag sixteen dollars a 

 ton, and muriate of potash we will say 

 $150 a ton, although even at that price 

 it is not available. Probably if you are 

 buying mixed fertilizers you will pay at 

 that rate per pound at least. Nitrate 

 of soda contains about fifteen per cent, 

 nitrogen, one ton would contain three 

 hundred pounds, which at seventy dol- 

 lars would be 23 1-3 cents a pound. 

 Phosphorus approximately six cents a 

 pound, and potash at the assumed price 

 would be fifteen cents a pound, as 

 muriate of potash contains fifty per 

 cent, potash, or one thousand pounds in 

 one ton. 



Figured then on this basis, a ton of 

 well made stable manure, from well fed 

 stock, would be worth as follows : 



10 lbs. Nitrogen at 23V4c $2.36 



6 lbs. Phosphoric Acid at 6c 30 



9 Ibs. Potash at 16c per lb 1.35 



Value per ton $4.00 



Considering, therefore, the scarcity 

 of potash, we cannot afford to let this 

 important fertilizing element be lost 

 through our method of handling. 



The foregoing is calculated according 

 to the prices you have to pay for the 

 various fertilizing constituents in com- 

 mercial fertilizers, and does not include 

 the value of manures for their humus 

 contents. In both cover crops and 

 manure, we are liable too often to for- 

 get about the important part humus 



plays in producing conditions suitable 

 for crops other than the supplying of 

 necessary plant food. 



When speaking of well fed and well 

 kept stable manure, it is well for us to 

 keep in mind that manure from animals 

 poorly fed is not nearly as valuable as 

 that from well fed animals, and that a 

 manure fi'om which the liquids have 

 been lost is not nearly as valuable a.s 

 one where it has been retained. Just 

 in this connection it is interesting to 

 note that almost half of the total value 

 of the excrement lies in the urine. 

 Nearly four-fifths of the potash is found 

 in the liquids voided by animals. 



The object of this address is to show 

 the comparative value of the legu- 

 minous crops as compared with .stable j 

 manure, and if possible to encourage a 

 more extensive growth of the nitrogen 

 gathering crops in our orchards. 



It would seem to me, in the face of i 

 conditions that at present €xist, we 

 should adopt some system to make a 

 greater use of the clover and vetch than 

 we have in the past. 



In conclusion I would say we should 

 depend more than M'e have upon clover ; i 

 that if necessary, stable manure should | 

 be used to give the necessary plant food 

 and soil conditions to secure a good 

 stand, and liming usually will be neces- 

 sary. Basic slag may in some cases be 

 used to furnish the lime requirements, 

 in addition to the phosphorus. In case 

 acid phosphate is used, lime should also 

 be used. The potash can in a measure 

 be secured by taking more care of our 

 stable manures, and using more absorb- 

 ents, such as straw, sawdust and dried 

 peat, to hold the liquids voided by our 

 farm stock. 



Seasonable Hints 



The first thing that should be attend- 

 ed to in the orchard this spring is the 

 cultivation of the land about the bushes 

 and fruit trees. With an ordinary hoe 

 and rake, the land should be deeply 

 worked and pulverized, and after each 

 rain it should be loosened again. Upon 

 the manner in which this is done will 

 depend largely the supply of moisture 

 and food for the summer. Leave the 

 winter covering of straw on as long as 

 possible. If uncovered too soon, the 

 plants will blossom early, and may get 

 caught by late spring frosts. Of course 

 if the weather continues so that the 

 plants make vigorous growth, it will be 

 necessary to remove the covering 

 earlier. 



Grapes should not be uncovered until 

 later, or the young buds will be liable to 

 get nipped by frosts. It is better to 

 hrfve a good crop of fruit a little late 

 than none at all. 



Raspberries may be uncovered now, 

 if they were covered in the fall. 



