16 N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION. [Bulletin 12 



EFFECT OF CULTURAL TREATMENTS AND FERTIL- 

 IZERS ON GROWTH. 



It is now pretty generally accepted by investigators in pom- 

 ology in this country that growth and yield of apple trees are not 

 antagonistic but rather that they accompany one another, 

 within a reasonable degree. This has been the experience in the 

 Woodman Orchard, that is, for an average of eight years the 

 poorest growing trees are the poorest yielders, the plot that ranks 

 next lowest in growth also ranks next lowest in yield, the third 

 poorest grower also ranks third poorest in yield, while in the re- 

 mainder of the plots the correlation does not hold, although the 

 differences in growth in the remaining plots is not so marked. 

 In general the best bearing trees are also good growing trees. 



But what brings about a stimulation to growth in the orchard? 

 It is well known by every orchardist that cultivation will make a 

 marked effect in the growth and general healthful appearance of 

 the trees often the first season without previous preparation on 

 the part of the tree. It is also well known that nitrogenous 

 fertilizers, especially the more readily available forms, such as 

 nitrate of soda, will bring about an increased growth of the trees. 

 And the converse of this treatment, i. e., growing trees in sod 

 land will usually result in a poor growth especially on mature 

 trees. Of course there must be sufficient moisture present, also, 

 in addition to the other factors for growth. 



METHODS OF RECORDING GROWTH. 



Since the cultivated orchard under consideration has been 

 slow to respond to fertilizer treatments in its yield it has been of 

 interest to watch the effect of the treatments on the growth of 

 the trees. 



It has been a question in the mind of the writer for some time 

 as to what particular measurement best represented the index 

 of the annual growth produced each year by an apple tree. It 

 has been our practice since 1909 to measure the length of the 

 terminal growth of the main branches, selecting those represent- 

 ing the normal of the tree, so far as the observer could determine. 

 Twenty such twigs are measured on each tree annually and 

 averaged, and then all the trees for the plot are averaged, which 

 figure is taken as an approximate index of the growth of the 

 trees under the particular soil treatment of that plot. This 



