ORANGES PEACH TREES. 47 



would return to the soil the constituents extracted by the orange, should 

 contain about 2.7 per cent, phosphoric acid, 4 per cent, nitrogen, and 

 16 per cent, of potash. These remarks have reference to old bearing 

 trees." . . . "The fertilization of fruit trees is a subject about which, 

 there is little accurate knowledge, and greatly needs to be studied. 

 The formulas for orange fertilizers undoubtedly need to be revised ;^ 

 the quantity of potash relatively to the other constituents needs to be 

 increased. A fertilizer containing something like 2.7 per cent, phos- 

 phoric acid, 4 per cent, nitrogen and 16 per cent, potash would restore 

 these elements to the soil in something like the relative proportions 

 in which the orange takes them. About 12.5 lbs. of this fertilizer 

 would be enough for the production of 1,000 oranges." 



PEACH TREES. 



NEW JERSEY, 1883. 



By G. H. Cook, Director. Fourth Annual Report. 



"We recommended the use of muriate of potash to several growers, 

 of peach trees in the spring of 1883, and have much satisfaction in 

 learning just now from two of them that their trials with it proved 

 entirely successful as far as one year's experience will go.." 



1886. 

 By G. H. Cook, Director. Seventh Annual Report. 



"The experiments to show the effects of fertilizers upon the growth 

 and productiveness of peach trees are successful, and giving great en- 

 couragement to the cultivators, as well as the consumers, of this lus- 

 cious fruit, by the use of chemical fertilizers, especially of muriate of 

 potash. The trees are now kept in healthy growth and bearing con- 

 diiion for many years, in the very fields where formerly, without the 

 use of fertilizers, the lives of the trees were limited to six or seven 

 years. On unmanured soils the foliage of the trees turned yellow^ 

 great numbers of little suckers grew out of the branches, and the trees 

 were said to have the 'yellows,' and soon died. The effect of fertilizers 

 upon the failing trees is so marked that many cultivators of peach 

 trees believe there is no such disease as the 'yellows,' and that their 

 early failure was simply due to the lack of proper plant-food." 

 Special Report by J. M. White. 



"Dr. Henry Race, of Pittstown, Hunterdon County, who has used 

 potash salts and bone for the past six years, writes: 'In my experience 

 of trees bearing an excessively large crop, they are liable to have an 



