TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL MEETING. 121 



ble plant food, put on ever\' year, proved very profitable as 

 long as the orchard lasted. 



Whether, all things considered, it pays best to buy this 

 ready to put it on or to buy the ingredients singly and mix, 

 will depend on local conditions and the state of the market. 



One hundred and fifty pounds of nitrate of soda and of 

 muriate of potash and 350 pounds of bone-black superphos- 

 phate were used in the New Jersey tests. Four hundred 

 pounds of acid phosphate, of course, could be substituted for 

 the dissolved bone black. 



One of the most profitable orchards in New Jersey ( 10 

 acres) twelve years old and showing no sign of lost vitality, 

 has had annually since its third year 200 pounds each of ni- 

 trate of soda, ground bone, acid phosphate and muriate of 

 potash. This is equivalent to 1,000 pounds of a 3.8-7.0-10 

 formula. It has yielded eight profitable crops, one of them 

 giving a net profit of $200 per acre, with an average "net 

 profit" yearly for the twelve years of over $50 per acre. 



Such heavy dressings of apple orchards every year, even 

 after trees come into bearing, would not be profitable. My 

 idea would be to get the land well stocked with phosphates 

 and potash .before the trees begin to bear, using enough ni- 

 trogen to keep them growing vigorously, but not pushed. 



A newly-set tree needs time to develop a large root sys- 

 tem. In a very rich soil it will not grow as rapidly nor as 

 far, as in one only moderately fertile, and a dry season may 

 find the roots not sufficiently developed to gather the water 

 which is needed, while the other things it needs are abun- 

 dant. 



When the orchard begins to bear, of course, the fertiliz- 

 ers should be increased. 



Suggested formulas for apple orchards I have already 

 given. 



One other thing I want to mention is lime. Stone fruits 

 especially require it and 30-40 pounds each year go oflf in 

 the leaves, wood and fruit in apple orchards. But lime is 

 also quite as important to the cover crop. The clovers and 



