Formula for Apples 143 



plants are unthrifty, they should be given separate treat- 

 ment. The experienced orchardist picks out these trees 

 at a distance by the lighter shade of green, the sparser 

 leafage, and the lesser growth. The first inquiry should be 

 for borers, collar-rot, canker, sun-scald, mice injury, 

 or other special attacks or difficulties. If the trouble does 

 not lie here, or in the union at the graft or bud, or in 

 over-bearing, he may assume that soil conditions are at 

 fault. Digging up the soil about the tree or bush, or apply- 

 ing a good top-dressing of manure or a liberal supply of 

 nitrate of soda, is likely to give positive results. Sometimes 

 the difficulty is unusual dryness, on a hard or leachy spot, 

 and the application of water may help immediately, 

 and the incorporation of vegetable matter and the reshap- 

 ing of the surface to catch the rains may help permanently. 

 Recommendation for apples. Stewart gives "a general 

 fertilizer recommendation for apples" as follows, for 

 preliminary use in orchards that are apparently in need of 

 fertilization: 



Nitrogen (N) 30 pounds, carried in 100 pounds nitrate and 



150 pounds dried blood, or in 150 pounds ammonium 



sulphate. 

 Phosphoric acid (PzOb) 50 pounds, carried in 350 pounds 



acid phosphate, or in 200 pounds bone-meal, or in 300 



pounds basic slag. 

 Potash (KaO) 25 to 50 pounds, carried in 50 to 100 pounds 



muriate, or in 100 to 200 pounds of low-grade sulphate. 



The amounts are for an acre of bearing trees; for 

 young orchards, reduce these amounts in proportion to 

 the area covered. 



"This formula means that a fertilizer carrying about 

 thirty pounds of actual nitrogen, fifty pounds of actual 

 phosphoric acid (P 2 5 ), and twenty-five to fifty pounds 

 of actual potash (K 2 O) should be applied on an acre of 



