FRUIT TREES— PRINCIPLES REGULATING GROWTH. 



IN studying- methods of manuring- or- 

 chards, it must be admitted that the 

 general principles which apply to fruits ap- 

 ply quite as well to vegetables ; that is, the 

 essential constituents of manures must be 

 the same. A fruit tree will not make nor- 

 mal growth in a soil destitute of nitrogen. 

 That nitrogen encourages leaf-growth is a 

 recognized fact, and since trees grow by 

 means of leaf and root, its presence is re- 

 quired in the soil in order to promote the 

 growth and ektend the life of the tree. It 

 is very evident, too, that potash is an essen- 

 tial constituent in the growth of fruits, not 

 only because it constitutes a large propor- 

 tion of the ash of the wood of the apple, 

 pear, cherry and plum, and more than 50 

 per cent, of the ash of fruit, but because it 

 forms the base of the well-known fruit acids, 

 and in order to nourish a tree properly as 

 well as to ensure proper ripening, phospho- 

 ric acid is also very necessary. It is also a 

 matter of common observation that, in the 

 production of stone fruits particularly, lime 

 is an important constituent. Its function 

 seems to be to strengthen the stems and 

 woody portion of the trees, to shorten the 

 period of growth, and to hasten the time of 

 ripening. Fruit trees growing on soils rich 

 in lime usually show a stocky, steady, vig- 

 orous growth, and the fruit ripens well ; 

 while these on soils which contain but little 

 lime, particularly the clays, appear to have 

 an extended period of growth, the result of 

 which is that the wood does not mature and 

 the fruit does not ripen properly. 



Nitrogen is particularly efficacious in pro- 

 moting growth. In fact, the amount of 

 growth and the color of foliage are reliable 

 guides for the application of nitrogen. When 



mature or bearing trees make a foot or more 

 of growth upon all shoots, and when the 

 leaves are of good size and dark green col- 

 ored, the soil probably has enough nitrogen. 

 A free application to such soils of the ele- 

 ment nitrogen might do more harm than 

 good in promoting growth at the expense 

 of fruit. 



TILLAGE AN ADVANTAGE. 



In general it is better to supply nitrogen 

 by good cultivation, which assists nitrifica- 

 tion in the soil. If the trees do not make 

 sufficient growth and are yellowish in foliage, 

 good cultivation begun early and repeated 

 very frequently h\ connection with the use 

 of potash and phosphoric acid, will usually 

 correct it. 



Potash is generally the most important 

 ingredient to be applied directly to orchards, 

 particularly after the trees have reached ma- 

 ture age. The store of available potash in 

 the soil is much increased by the thorough 

 tillage which has alreadybeen recommended, 

 but in fruit-bearing orchards potash should 

 also be supplied in some commercial form, 

 as sulphate or muriate of potash. 



In general phosphoric acid is probably less 

 important in fruit production than potash, 

 although it throws the tree into fruit quicker, 

 and has a most beneficial influence on the 

 growth of the wood and leaves. The best 

 form in which it may be applied to trees is 

 probably by bonedust, and half and quarter- 

 inch bones. The coarser the bones the hea- 

 vier should the dressing be. 



The amounts of manure to be applied de- 

 pend upon the character of the soils, the 

 kind of fruit, and the age and vigor of the 

 trees. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 



