90 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



and need not be dwelt upon at this time. In general terms, it 

 was there shown that, " With a single exception, in which two 

 trees had particularly good advantages, the growth on the 

 mulched area was less than upon the corresponding cultivated 

 plat. On the cultivated soil there was little increase in growth 

 from the use either of stable manures or of commercial fertil- 

 izers ; while on the mulched land the growth was noticeably 

 (2 to 5 inches) greater, as a result of adding plant foods. 

 These facts would indicate that there is enough plant food in the 

 soil to produce a fairly satisfactory growth, if the mechanical 

 treatment is such as to render it available, and other plants are 

 not allowed to rob the trees." 



Subsequent developments have justified the statements here 

 made. For several years the unfertilized trees held their place 

 very well, both as to growth and to yield ; but during the last 

 two years the need of additional plant food has been plainly 

 manifest, even on the cultivated area. 



Without going into details (for these will be published in a 

 few weeks in a Station Bulletin) it may be said that on the par- 

 ticular soil on which these experiments are conducted, some- 

 what better results seem to have followed the use of the stable 

 manure than that of the concentrated fertilizer. This, no doubt, 

 was partly due to the humus which was required to put the soil 

 in the best mechanical condition. 



THE " RENOVATION ORCHARD.'''' 



Three years ago, because of the manifestly favorable results 

 following the treatment given the orchard above referred to, one 

 hundred trees were set apart for specific experiments in the 

 renovation of an orchard. The trees in question were about 

 thirty-five years old, planted on the western slope of a dry 

 gravelly hillside. They were divided into six groups, as indi- 

 cated in the bulletin above referred to, with appropriate check 

 trees. 



One plat was given a complete fertilizer made up of muriate 

 of potash, acid rock and nitrate of soda; a second was given a 

 muriate of potash and acid rock without the nitrogen; a third 

 nitrate of soda and acid rock, without the potash; while the 

 other three plats were given one element each — acid rock, 

 muriate of potash, and nitrate of soda. The orchard has been 

 well pruned and clean culture has been practiced every season. 



