AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 35 



Fertilizing Elements for Fruit Trees 



Tests made during the past year have indicated that the type of leaf 

 scorch with which certain apple orchards are troubled may be due to a 

 nutrient deficiency. Apparently, no individual element is responsible as 

 such, but evidence tends to show that the scorch is caused by an un- 

 balanced condition of elements in the soil. Calcium plus either magne- 

 sium or potassium have improved growing conditions of apple seedlings 

 in the greenhouse. In the field there is some evidence that calcium has 

 been beneficial. iMagnesium and potassium in combination, \\ith calcium 

 absent, have shown adverse effects. Previously, it had been shown that 

 when potassium was applied to orchard soil, scorch became worse. 



In a cooperating orchard in Wolfeboro where leaf scorch was pre- 

 valent, the soil was sampled by two-inch levels for pH values and bv cores 

 for physical constants. Samples were taken both from under trees that 

 had previously shown severe scorch and from under scorch-free trees. 

 The pH values were very uniform and in some cases very strongly 

 acid, varying between 4.67 and 3.95. There was no relation between the 

 previous occurence of scorch and volume-weight, field moisture, total 

 pore space, non-capillary pore space or rate of percolation. Very little 

 scorch appeared in this orchard during the past growing year. 



An experiment was set up in the No. 35 orchard in order to deter- 

 mine the effectiveness of various mulches in preventing the appearance 

 of scorch or mineral deficiences in apple trees. Sod, cut hay, sawdust, and 

 seaweed were the treatments. The soil under each tree \\"as sampled by 

 two-inch levels to a depth of eight inches in order to determine the pH 

 values of the soil at the start of the experiment and the amount of pH va- 

 riation. Considerable variation was found in the top two levels. 



Heavy application of borax to apple trees has shown that 10 pounds 

 or more may cause serious injury to bearing apple trees, but recovery 

 may take place if no further applications are made at the rate of 10 

 pounds per tree. With 20 pounds per tree recovery is less evident, and a 

 repetition of 10 to 20 pound applications caused serious damage to trees 

 receiving like amounts the previous year. 



A rapid method for the determination of nutrients in plant tissue was 

 devised according to that of R. C. Tindner and C. P. Harley of the Bureau 

 of Plant Industry, U. S, D. A., Wenatchee, Washington. 



L. P. Latimer, G. P. Percival 



Development of Low-Bush Blueberry Fields 



This project is concerned with the methods of propagating a'nd es- 

 tablishing the low-bush blueberrv on abandoned land. 



One of the most simple and efficient methods of propagation has 

 proven to be that of plowing narrow furrows about four feet apart in 

 early spring and then laying the rhizomes against the land side of the fur- 

 row. The furrow sHce is then firmly placed against them. Observations 

 are noted of the rate at which these rhizomes spread. Areas covered with 

 gray birch and pine, under which there is a weak plant growth, were 

 cleared. Those areas are now producing a vigorous growth of new top 

 and should to be very productive by another year. 



