APPLES 



313 



tree a little farther apart on account of 

 beins more shade in this part of a tree. 

 Although some shade is a good thing, as 

 it prevents sun-scalded fruit, it is pos- 

 sible to have too much. 



A very good type of thinning shears is 

 shown in the cut. Take off all terminal 

 branches on long, slender branches and 

 break all doubles. Take off all wormy 

 apples and all those that are much 

 smaller than the average. Take off all 

 limb-bruised or badly frost marked ap- 

 ples, and also those that are liable to be- 

 come limb-bruised as they grow in size. 

 Leave the apples in singles and in such 

 a position that they can have the best 



Fig. 1. A Good T.vpe of Thinnins Shears. 



chance to grow in size, color and uni- 

 formity, and be as free as possible from 

 blemish. 



There is another phase of thinning that 

 would help, and that is the cutting out of 

 every other tree in rows that have the 

 trees so close together that they are 

 crowding each other. Trees, when 

 crowded, are bound to grow upward rath- 

 er than outward, and if let alone will, ia 

 a little while, have most of the fruit 

 bearing wood in the tops. This is truer 

 of peaches, perhaps, than of apples, never- 

 theless apple trees when crowded cannot 

 do as well as when they have plenty of 

 room. For this reason it is necessary to 

 cut out every other tree in the row, or 

 the alternates in every row. this depend- 

 ing on the way and the distance the trees 

 are set. 



Conclnsion 



1. That thinning of the mature Wine- 

 sap tree pays in money returns the first 

 year. 



R. S. Herrick, 

 Fort Collins, Colo. 



FEBTILIZATIOX 



Liniitine' Factors 



1. Fertilizers are but one of many fac- 

 tors that affect success in orcharding. 

 Among the others are soil, location, vari- 



eties, cultural methods, thinning, spray- 

 ing, pruning and general orchard care. 



2. The weakest factors largely control 

 and limit the crop and through them it 

 can be affected. Consequently the value 

 of attention to any factor is essentially 

 proportional to its need. In general, 

 therefore, applications of plant food will 

 be of most value when it is the limiter. 

 In the presence of other still weaker 

 factors its effect may be wholly lost. 



3. The best orchard treatment probably 

 consists in the discovery of crop-limiters, 

 their elevation to the level of the other 

 factors, and the maintenance of a prop- 

 erly balanced treatment thereafter. 



4. The recognition of plant food as a 

 limiter is often difiicult and the fact is 

 liest determined by trial. Its need, how- 

 ever, may be indicated by the trees being 

 deficient in growth, foliage or fruit after 

 the other factors are apparently right. 

 Under such conditions the addition of 

 manures and fertilizers has yielded most 

 abundant results. 



5. Nitrogen is apparently of much 

 greater value in apple orchards than is 

 generally supposed. Its addition has 

 greatly increased the quantity of fruit. 

 Many failures with potash and phosphates 

 have doubtless been due to a deficient 

 nitrogen supply. It should be used ju- 

 diciously, however, because of an indi- 

 rect reduction in color, and sometimes 

 also in size of the fruit. It can be used 

 most freel.v on the earlier soils or in lo- 

 calities with long growing seasons. 



6. Nitrogen may be secured in stable 

 manure, cover crops, or in commercial 

 forms. If applied in very soluble forms, 

 especially on leachy soils, the time of ap- 

 plication must be right. This is probably 

 somewhat after petal-fall, when the stored 

 food is exhausted and the need is greatest. 



7. In general, where plant food is 

 needed, phosphate and potash should also 

 be supplied. This prevents their becom- 

 ing limiters in turn, and may also check 

 some of the ill effects of nitrogen on the 

 appearance of the fruit. 



8. Both lime and "floats." when ap- 

 plied alone, have thus far failed to show 

 any marked beneficial effects. 



9. None of the fertilizers applied in 



