STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 49 



Professor Atwater's Report of the Agricultural Experiment Sta- 

 tions, Middletown, Connecticut, for ttie years 1877-8, gives an analy- 

 sis of the ash of the Rhode Island Greening with potash, 53.42 per 

 cent; phosphoric acid 4.27 per cent. The average of two analyses 

 of apple tree wood taken from Wolff's tables shows potash, 12. per 

 cent ; phosphoric acid 4.6 per cent. 



European analyses give in parts of 1,000 parts of fresh apples, 

 potash, 1.0; phosphoric acid, 0.4; nitrogen, 0.65. 



As calculated from Prof. Atwater's report cited above, the fresh 

 Rhode Island Greenings analyzed at the Connecticut Station con- 

 tained per 1,000 parts, potash, 1.5 ; phosphoric acid, 12 ; nitrogen, 

 0.43. 



Air dry apple tree wood according to Wolff's tables contains per 

 1,000 parts, potash, 1.3 ; phosphoric acid, 0.5. 



Thus it is seen that our orchards draw heavily on the three fertiliz- 

 ing elements which are most likely to be deficient in our soils, both 

 for the formation of the fruit which is taken away and for the for- 

 mation of the tree in which these elements become fixed. Notwith- 

 standing the heavy draft in this direction made by our fruit trees, 

 it is no heavier than for the average of other agricultural plants. 

 Wheat and other grains have in the ash of their seed nearly as much 

 potash and more phosphoric acid than is found in the ash of our 

 fruits, while in the ash of the straw as much potash is found as in 

 the ash of the wood of the fruit trees. Peas, beans and other 

 leguminous plants contain in the ash of their seeds as much potash 

 as is found in the ash of the fruits with four or five times as much 

 phosphoric acid, while the straw contains more potash and more 

 phosphoric acid than is contained in the wood of fruit trees. 



Hence it is seen that so far as the composition of the ash is con- 

 cerned fruit trees require about the same manuring as other crops. 

 And any system of manuring which produces good returns in the 

 one case will probably do so in the other. 



Special manures for special crops made up with regard to what a 

 particular crop takes out of the soil have not met with general 

 success, because no account is taken of variability of soils in plant 

 food and of the varying ability of different plants to obtain the same 

 nutritive elements from the same soil. 



A special orchard fertilizer adapted to all soils and conditions is 

 to be desired, but there is no probability that it will ever be found. 



