STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 9I 



At the end of the first growing season it was noticed that, as 

 might be expected, the plat receiving a complete fertilizer pre- 

 sented the best appearance. The use of nitrogen alone increased 

 growth to a marked degree (though less than the complete 

 fertilizer) but there was a noticeable lack of color in the fruit. 

 Trees on the plat receiving acid rock alone, in general seemed 

 no better than the adjacent check trees which were cultivated 

 but not fertilized. Potash alone on the other hand, produced a 

 distinct improvement." 



Succeeding years have to a large extent repeated the experi- 

 ence here recorded. This particular soil is evidently in need 

 of nitrogen and potash, while the phosphoric acid is not required. 

 In every case the plat receiving complete fertilization has given 

 the best results both in growth of tree and in fruit. 



In 1903 a very serious injury to both trees and fruit was 

 apparently the result of a too free use of nitrogen on the plat 

 receiving nitrogen alone. The foliage dropped ; the fruit 

 cracked, and much of it dropped, while the remainder was as 

 soft and mealv in October as it should have been the following 

 May. 



In passing, it may be said, that since the first year, this orchard 

 has made a good growth and has yielded annual returns of fruit ; 

 thus showing beyond question that Baldwins may be made to 

 produce every year if fed with that in view. Taking at random 

 some of the trees in this orchard, we find that tree 11 in 1903 

 produced 4>4 barrels of fruit; in 1904, i barrel; in 1905, 2.8 

 barrels. Tree 25 produced 8.5, 4, and 5.8 barrels for the three 

 years respectively ; tree 53 gave 5, 2.~, 3.3 barrels and so on. 

 It must not be understood, however, that all trees bear every 

 year, for such is not the case. For instance, tree 43 has a record 

 for the three years of o, . 7, and o barrels. Tree 75 is gradually 

 improving, the record for the three years being o, .8, and i 

 respectively. 



THE FISHER FORMULA. 



As is well known to some members of the society, a compari- 

 son is being made in the orchard already referred to, as well as 

 in the orchard of John W. True of New Gloucester, between the 

 highly nitrogenous fertilizer made after what is known as the 

 " Fisher formula " and a less expensive, because less highly 

 nitrogenous, fertilizer compounded for our own work. 



Briefly stated, the Fisher formula is composed of about 8.6% 

 nitrogen, 11 .9% phosphoric acid, and 3.3% potash, being made 



