CHAPTER IV 

 THE ENRICHING OF FRUIT-LANDS 



ANY land that is fit for the growing of crops will main- 

 tain a fruit-plantation throughout its existence without 

 the addition of plant-food, and enable the trees to produce 

 at the same time a normal quantity and quality of fruit. 

 But the profit in fruit-growing lies in securing the extra- 

 normal or superior quantity and quality, and this result 

 demands every good care and often the addition of 

 fertilizer. How much plant-food the farmer shall add to 

 his land, if any, depends on the amount of increase or 

 profit that can be secured. If the fruit-grower applies 

 two tons of fertilizer to the acre and secures a profit on 

 the investment, the quantity may be none too large; but 

 in some cases it is a loss of the material to add anything. 

 The successful merchant is the one who is dissatisfied with 

 a normal and common trade, and he stimulates the demand 

 by attracting and interesting the market beyond the point 

 of its usual needs. 



The land is to be kept at work. 



Many causes contribute to the occasional unsatis- 

 factory results of applying fertilizers to orchards, small- 

 fruit plantations, and similar areas, but the commonest 

 one is lack of proper tillage and preparation of the land. 

 Poorly tilled land, not only refuses, as we have seen, to 

 give up its own stores of wealth, but it will delay and 

 even preclude the good results from the plant-foods that 



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