50 POPULAR FRUIT GROWING. 



(a) For fruit trees over ten years of age (forty trees), vary- 

 ing in quantity according to the condition of the soil and crop, 

 250 to 500 pounds of fine ground bone, 100 to 300 pounds of sul- 

 fate of potash, 50 to 150 pounds of nitrate of soda. 



(b) Unleached hardwood ashes at the rate of one to two 

 tons per acre and 500 pounds of fine ground bone. 



(c) 400 to 600 pounds of South Carolina rock, ground fine, 

 100 to 300 pounds of sulfate of potash, 100 to 300 pounds of 

 nitrate of soda. 



(d) Barnyard manure, 6 tons per acre. 



No manure needed in some cases. In the case of some new 

 and extra fertile fruit soils there may be no apparent diminu- 

 tion of fertility of the soil for many years. Such soils may often 

 be maintained in their best condition indefinitely without the 

 addition of manures by the use of nitrogen-gathering cover 

 crops, such as clover, vetches and peas. 



Time to apply manures to fruit lands. In the case of fresh 

 animal manure not yet decayed, there is little loss ordinarily in 

 applying it broadcast as soon as removed from the stables or 

 yards. As a rule this is the most economical way to handle 

 it and is the general practice among good farmers, fruit growers 

 and gardeners. However, partly decomposed manures contain 

 so much soluble plant food that the loss might be very serious 

 were the manure applied to the surface of frozen ground. Such 

 manure is most economically applied in the spring and at once 

 covered by a light plowing or harrowing. Such manure should 

 generally be covered at once after applying and not allowed to 

 dry out on the surface of the soil. 



It is generally best to apply commercial manures to fruit 

 plantations in the early spring or early summer. This is 

 especially true of such soluble, quick acting fertilizers as ni- 

 trate of soda and muriate of potash. These may be applied broad- 

 cast to the soil about the trees. The surface covered should 

 generally be fully as large as the diameter of the top of the tree 

 but in the case of upright trees a larger surface should be cov- 

 ered. When the land is well stocked with mature trees the 

 manure should always be applied to the whole surface of the 

 soil. 



