56 DWARF FRUIT TREES 



be to give enough fertilizer to keep them in perfect 

 health and in good growing condition, but not enough 

 to force unnecessary growth. Fertilizer rich in nitro- 

 gen should be especially avoided, and, as the object in 

 view is to secure an early maturity of the tree and to 

 produce fruit always in preference to wood, a larger 

 proportion of potash would naturally be substituted 

 for the diminished proportion of nitrogen. Of course 

 the amounts and proportions of the different elements 

 (nitrogen, potash and phosphoric acid) to be applied 

 will vary greatly with different conditions, with. the 

 nature of the soil, the age of the trees, etc. As a sort 

 of standard we may say that under normal conditions 

 of good soil with dwarf apple and pear trees in bearing 

 there should be given annually for each acre : 



400 pounds ground bone 

 400 pounds muriate of potash 

 100 pounds Peruvian guano 



Peaches and plums require more nitrogen during 

 early growth, and more potash when in full bearing. 

 For a new plantation of these trees the following 

 amounts should be given annually for each acre : 



300 pounds ground bone 

 400 pounds muriate of potash 

 150 pounds nitrate of soda 



For peach and plum trees in bearing, the following 

 formula may be suggested : 



400 pounds ground bone 

 500 pounds muriate of potash 

 100 pounds Peruvian guano 



Inasmuch as many owners of dwarf fruit trees will 



