-8- 



GRAMD TOTALS 



1,308,650 



*26,000 



1*87,000 



T7O5,000 



2,126,650 



0. C. Roberts 



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FERTILIZATION OF APPLE TREES WITH POULTRY MANURE 



/^ Poultry manure must be used with caution as many growers have already found 

 / out. The application of too much poultry manure may result in nitrogen becoming 

 \ available late in the growing season, causing poor fruit color and immaturity 

 of wood, 



A number of growers use poultry manure regularly and through experience 

 know how much to apply without getting into difficulty. On the other hand, 

 growers using poultry manure for the first time should do so with caution. It 

 may be best to experiment on just a few trees. Poultry manure applied sparingly 

 and broadcast over the area between trees will improve tree and grass growth. 



The following facts and figures about hen manure were taken from the Penn- 

 sylvania Extension Service publication - "Hen Cackles" April, 1955 issue. 



It is difficult to estimate the analysis of poultry manure because of vari- 

 able amounts of litter it may contain. In addition, as much as 75% of the nitrogen 

 can escape from poultry manure if it remains wet in the houses or is allowed to 

 heat. There may also be loss of nitrogen from oxidation. The losses of phosphoric 

 acid and potash are not as great as that of nitrogen because they are more stable. 



The following is the analysis of poultry droppings: 



Phosphoric 



Water Nitrogen Acid Potash 



Fresh and Wet 76% 1.48% .96% .47% 



Fresh and Dry 16% 5.88% 3.60% 1.65% 



A rule of thumb as to nitrogen content of poultry manure: There is approx- 

 imately one pound of nitrogen per bushel of wet droppings, or three fourths bushel 

 of dry droppings. Three fourths of a bushel of dry poultry manure contains enough 

 nitrogen to meet the nitrogen requirement of a Mcintosh apple tree capable of 

 producing 25 bushels of apples. 



Nitrogen in poultry manure becomes available to the trees more slowly than 

 in the commercial forms and may benefit the crop for several seasons, Approxi- 

 '' mately one half of the plant food in the poultry will be utilized by the first 

 crop; one fourth will be available the second year and one fourth the third year. 



---W, J. Lord 

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