52 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



At the college farm at Orono the experiments with such raw phos- 

 phates as South Carolina rock, indicate that it does not readil}^ 

 yield up its phosphoric acid to red clover the first season, and that 

 acid phosphates furnishing soluble phosphoric acid or raw phos- 

 phates furnishing a considerable quantity of citrate soluble phos- 

 phoric acid are more reliable for a clover crop. 



In selecting phosphates for orchards this point should be taken 

 into account if in addition to supplying phosphoric acid to the trees 

 it is desired to grow clover as a collector of nitrogen and for its 

 physical action on the soil. 



Experience in the use of commercial manures has shown that, in 

 general, phosphoric acid is required in larger quantities than either 

 potash or nitrogen and for this reason the mixed fertilizers put upon 

 the market contain the former in a much larger proportion than the 

 latter. 



These fertilizers, it is true, are designed for general farm crops, 

 but it has already been shown that the orchard draws upon the 

 supplies of plant food in practically the same lines and proportions 

 as other crops. It is, therefore, a reasonable inference that phos- 

 phoric acid should form the larger part of an orchard fertilizer, and 

 in otfering the formulas given below this consideration has been 

 kept in mind. 



The following fertilizers applied as indicated may be expected to 

 produce good results : 



First. Finely ground bone meal at the rate of 500 pounds to 

 1,000 pounds per acre thoroughly worked into the soil. 



Second. Bone meal or coarse ground bone meal at the rate of 

 500 pounds, and unleached wood ashes at the rate of fifty bushels to 

 100 bushels per acre mixed together kept moist for six months. 

 This mixture would be most effective when worked into the soil but 

 would be beneficial when applied as a top dressing. 



Third. Dissolved bone-black 400 pounds, nitrate of soda 100 

 pounds, muriate of potash fifty pounds. This mixture may be 

 applied as a top dressing, and would probably need to be repeated 

 after three or four years. 



Fourth. Acid South Carolina rock 500 pounds, sulphate of 

 ammonia 100 pounds, and muriate of potash fifty pounds per acre. 

 This ma}' also be used as a top dressing. 



Fifth. Acid South Carolina rock, 200 pounds; fine ground 

 South Carolina rock 600 pounds ; nitrate of soda, 100 pounds and 



