Phosphorus Absorption by 

 Apple Trees from Foliar Sprays 

 And Soil-Applied Phosphates 



Radioactive phosphorus was added 

 to five different salts of phosphorus 

 which were then sprayed on approxi- 

 mately one-half the foliage of potted 

 clonal apple trees. The work was 

 carried out under closely controlled 

 conditions. 



Results show that phosphorus can 

 te absorbed through foliage of these 

 plants in large quantities, and that 

 it is translocated to all other parts 

 of the plants. It indicates that grow- 

 ers may be able to conserve large 

 amounts of phosphorus fertilizers 

 by spraying them directly on the foli- 

 age of plants instead of applying 

 them to soils in which they are pre- 

 vented from reaching plants because 

 of fixation in an insoluble form. 



This project is partly sponsored by 

 a grant from the American Fertilizer 

 Industries. 



L. T. Kardos 

 R. E. Eggert 



Techniques in Double 

 Working Apple Trees 



After observing the behavior of 

 several varieties of apples double- 

 worked on several stocks over a 

 period of twelve years it becomes 

 apparent that the varieties should be 

 worked onto the scaffold branches of 

 the body stock within eight to ten 

 inches from the trunk and that the 

 trees should be worked over all at one 

 time. Varieties worked further out 

 than eight inches on the branches 

 often break down with the first crop 

 of fruit. Allowing the body stock to 

 form side branches on these scaffold 

 branches next to the trunk has not 

 strengthened them enough to hold up 

 under production. When the branches 

 are worked within eight inches of 

 the trunk they seem to be strong 

 enough to support future crops. 

 When working the Hardy stock it 



has been noticed that if the top is 

 worked over first and the bottom 

 branches worked over later, the top 

 will dominate the lower branches and 

 they never do form useful branches. 

 If the side branches are worked be- 

 fore the terminal, they often over- 

 grow the terminal; then the center 

 leader becomes too suppressed and 

 finally dies. It appears that the best 

 method is to work the whole tree at 

 one time. It is better to let the tree 

 go a year or two longer in the or- 

 chard before working it than to do 

 il during two successive years. Whip- 

 grafts make a very good union and 

 in general are better than buds when 

 double-working varieties onto hardy 

 body stocks. 



W. W. Smith 



Organic Fungicides Have a Place in 

 The Apple Scab Spray Schedule 



Although organic fungicides have 

 been available to New Hampshire 

 fruit growers for several years, they 

 have not been widely used because 

 of cost, injury to the foliage, and, in 

 some cases, injury to the operator. 

 Tests completed during the year show 

 that growers who have difficulty in 

 obtaining scab-tree fruit could use 

 to advantage one of the organic 

 fungicides. The additional cost for 

 the spray materials will be overcome 

 by greater yields of marketable fruit, 

 and if these materials are used in 

 orchards where the trees are in good 

 vigor, foliage injury is not important. 



Phygon XL is an excellent pro- 

 tectant and four sprays with this ma- 

 terial are equivalent to five sprays 

 with a sulfur compound. This mater- 

 ial will not eradicate the scab or- 

 ganism once infection has occurred. 

 I nder such conditions, the organic 

 mercuries have excellent eradicative 

 action and can be used up to five 

 days after infection has taken place 

 to burn out scab. 



M. C. Richards 



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