1224 



FERTILIZERS 



FERTILIZERS 



organic forms, than to apply nitrates at two or more 

 different times. When such complete combinations 

 are used the danger of loss by leaching is greatly les- 

 sened and a satisfactorily continuous but properly 

 decreasing supply of nitrogen for the trees is assured. 

 The fertilizer application should not be made later 

 than just after the time the fruit has set. Many good 

 authorities even advise waiting until this time in order 

 to gage the application according to the probable 

 yield and requirement of the trees. 



At the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment 

 Station, far better results were secured with double 

 manure salt (sulfate of potash and sulfate of magnesia) 

 than with muriate of potash, but in experiments else- 

 where the muriate of potash has given as good results 

 as the high-grade sulfate of potash. It is probable, in 

 view of the known lack of carbonate of lime in the 

 Massachusetts soil, that this rather serious deficiency 

 was responsible for the poorer results with muriate of 

 potash, for in soils elsewhere where the lime supply was 

 sufficient, muriate of potash has acted well. It is, of 

 course, possible that the magnesia of the double manure 

 salt was helpful in the Massachusetts experiments. 

 The results furnish, however, no positive evidence to 

 that effect, but indicate strongly that the chlorin of 

 the muriate of potash was probably injurious because 

 of a lack of carbonate of lime. 



The idea that the proportion of the various fertilizer 

 ingredients affects the color of apples in a direct way 

 has little to support it. It is rather tenaciously claimed, 

 nevertheless, that basic slag meal has special value in 

 adding color to apples, but this may be due solely to 

 its adding a proper balance of mineral ingredients 

 which could perhaps be equally well supplied by other 

 phosphates. There is abundant evidence, however, that 

 over-fertilization with nitrogen leads to the develop- 

 ment of exceptionally heavy and abundant foliage; 

 and the excessive shading lessens the color of the 

 fruit. Direct exposure of the apple to the sunlight also 

 lessens its tendency to shrivel. This is due, probably 

 to its effect either on the proportion of the various 

 chemical constituents of the skin, or to its thickness, 

 by which evaporation of water is hindered. In order to 

 insure even distribution of the color on the individual 

 apples, severe thinning is essential, for otherwise one 

 apple will partially shade another. 



In some European countries the fertilizer for orchards 

 is placed from 4 to 5 inches deep in holes 20 inches 

 apart, at the rate of about an ounce and a quarter a 

 hole. This method is, however, probably too expensive 

 to employ in this country, though it may be especially 

 effective for orchards which are in sod. If the work 

 were capable of being done by machinery or by some 

 suitable implement the method might possibly prove 

 of economic value. 



Peaches. 



Peach trees are less in need of lime than apple trees, 

 yet liming is nevertheless often desirable, even for its 

 indirect benefits. The fertilizer required for peaches 

 is much more than fof apples, for the reason that 

 the trees grow far more rapidly and bear early and 

 abundant crops. On poor soils generous fertilizing 

 must be provided from the outset, but if the land is 

 very rich or heavily manured, fertilizer may be omitted 

 for the first year or two. If a soil is very poor it should 

 receive at the outset from 300 to 500 pounds an acre 

 of a fertilizer containing a moderate amount of nitrogen 

 derived from appropriate materials, a fair quantity of 

 available phosphoric acid, and a generous amount of 

 potash in muriate of potash. On soils in which potash 

 is naturally very abundant, the supply can be greatly 

 lessened. 



When the peach trees come into bearing, more nitro- 

 gen will be required than at the outset, and the total 

 quantity of fertilizer may then be increased one-half, 



or even more than doubled. In the case of peach trees, 

 constant watchfulness is required to make sure that 

 neither too little nor too much nitrogen is used. An 

 excess of nitrogen will prevent proper ripening of the 

 fruit, and of the wood in the autumn, whereas too little 

 will mean abbreviated crops, loss of vigor, and at the 

 same time the lack will create conditions favorable to 

 disease. In any case, ample supplies of phosphoric 

 acid and of potash, as muriate, should be provided to 

 meet any possible need. If a little extra nitrogen is 

 required in the spring, it may be applied in nitrate 

 of soda, or, if the soil is properly limed, sulfate of 

 ammonia may be substituted for the nitrate of soda if 

 desired. 



In case one wishes to stock the land with phosphoric 

 acid in advance, large applications of bone or basic 

 slag meal may be made, ranging from 400 to 1,000 

 pounds an acre of the former and from 500 to 1,200 

 pounds an acre of the latter. The old plan of heavily 

 stocking the soil and waiting a long time for the 

 returns is, however, giving way to the frequently more 

 economical plan of more nearly meeting the fertilizer 

 needs from year to year, instead of tying up a large 

 amount of money hi a long-tune investment. 



Plums, cherries and apricots. 



The plum and cherry, regardless of whether the latter 

 is a sour or sweet variety, are certainly far more in 

 need of liming than the peach, but data are not at hand 

 as to the relative requirements of the peach and apri- 

 cot. The fertilization of these fruits should not vary 

 widely from the treatment required for peaches, except- 

 ing that the quantity may be rather less, and the same 

 care should also be exercised not to use excessive 

 amounts of nitrogen. 



Blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries and currants. 



The blackberry is especially at home on very acid 

 soils and a very light application of lime will meet all 

 possible requirements of the plants, if indeed it is 

 needed at all. The blackcap raspberry is more likely 

 to be helped by liming than the blackberry, although 

 it is well adapted to moderately acid soils. The Cuth- 

 bert raspberry is appreciably helped by liming on quite 

 acid soils, and the same is probably true of most or all 

 of the red and yellow varieties. The gooseberry and 

 currant, including the white and various red varieties 

 are greatly benefited by liming. As much as two to 

 four tons of ground limestone an acre, or its equiva- 

 lent of slacked lime, are often very helpful to these 

 plants. Raspberries, in particular, thrive well on a 

 heavy, freshly rotted sod, as for example, on old grass 

 land plowed the autumn before the plants are set. In 

 many cases all that is required on such land is to supply 

 an adequate mixture of an available phosphate and a 

 potash salt, but whenever the cane growth is weak and 

 unsatisfactory, or, when gooseberries and currant 

 bushes do not show satisfactory growth, a moderate 

 amount of complete fertilizer containing a fair amount 

 of nitrogen in gradually available forms is likely to be 

 beneficial. The use of heavy applications of nitrogen 

 for raspberries, currants and gooseberries is not advised, 

 for it will induce too great a growth of canes and foliage 

 and interfere with the maturing and ripening of the 

 fruit. The plants will also be rendered more readily 

 subject to mildew. 



Strawberries. 



The strawberry grows well on moderately acid to 

 very acid soils, and if lime is used the application should 

 be light, rarely exceeding 1,000 to 2,000 pounds of 

 ground limestone an acre. 



An important point to be recognized by strawberry- 

 growers is, that weak plants are not likely to be heavy 

 bearers the next year. In consequence, the plants when 

 set should be supplied with a fertilizer reasonably 



