138 The Principles of Fruit-growing 



"The orchard was cultivated for the first five years. Since then 

 it has been continously kept in grass. The crops were made into 

 hay and carried off until the trees began to bear freely in 1903. Since 

 then the grass has been cut, usually twice each season, and left on the 

 ground. The hay crops each year paid for the manures used from 

 1894 to 1902. 



"The fruit was usually ranked in color and general attractiveness 

 in the following order: Plots 5, 4, 1, 2 and 3. In size, plots 5, 4, 1, 

 2 and 3. 



"One of the most significant results of the experiments is the 

 great superiority of plot 5 as compared with plot 4. The trees are 

 much larger and they have produced a much greater amount of fruit. 

 Both plots have annually received equal amounts of bone-meal and 

 equal amounts of actual potash, 100 pounds per year. The plot 

 receiving potash in the form of low-grade sulf ate has produced much 

 better results. This may be due in part to the magnesia which the 

 low-grade sulfate supplies, although it is possible that there was a 

 natural difference in the soil of the two plots, or that the sulphuric 

 acid combination with potash is better suited to the trees than the 

 hydrochloric acid of the muriate." 



Extensive apple-orchard tests have been made by the 

 Pennsylvania Station, involving ten soil types, twelve 

 locations, upward of 2,600 trees and 34,000 bushels of 

 fruit in a period of five years. Some of the conclusions to 

 1913 as given by Stewart (Bull. No. 121) are: 



"The experiments of this station have shown that the fertility 

 needs of an orchard may be the most important check on its produc- 

 tion. Variations in fertilization alone have resulted in average 

 differences ranging from 50 to 460 bushels an acre annually for the 

 past four or five years, depending on the experiment. These 

 results were accompanied by similar differences in the growth and 

 general vigor of the trees. 



"The time required for results to appear has been surprisingly 

 short in all cases where fertilization has proved to be really needed. 

 In such cases, both the value of fertilization and the kinds needed 

 were clearly evident by the middle of the second season, and no 

 material changes have occurred since. 



"Lime also has failed in most cases, although it may have some 



