SOIL MANAGEMENT FERTILIZATION OF ORCHARDS. 47 



on the unfertilized plot show a general resemblance, both falling off under 

 sod mulch and rising when strip cultivation was begun. There is onlj^ a 

 little less striking i-esemblance in the curves for the other three plots. 



Quality. 



Considerable differences in quality of the product of the several plots 

 have appeared. This is considered to include size, color, keeping quality 

 and dessert quality. No special records of size have been kept, but obser- 

 vation shows that differences in size have been closely correlated with 

 yield; the apples on plot 3 have been small and those on plot 1 generally 

 larger than those of any other plot. Rarely has the crop on any tree been 

 large enough to limit the size of the fruit. 



Brooks ^ reports near the end of the sod mulch period : — ■ 



In color and general attractiveness of appearance the fruit of the several plots 

 has usually ranked in the following order: plots 2, 5, 4, 1 and 3. In the early years 

 of the experiment the rank of the fruit in size was in the order: plots 5, 4, 1, 2 

 and 3. At the present time (1909) the apples on plot 1 take a higher relative rank, 

 and in all cases where the quantity of fruit is not excessive the apples on plot 1 

 are usually larger than on any of the other plots. 



A number "of tests of keeping quality have been made, and in this respect the 

 fruit has usually ranked in about the following order: plots 5, 4, 1, 2 and .3. The 

 relatively low rank of the fruit from plot 2 in keeping quality appears to be con- 

 nected with the fact that this fruit comes to maturity earher than that on the 

 other manured or fertilized plots. It will be noted that the fruit from plot 2 ranks 

 highest in appearance. This is due to its superiority in coloring. Tliis in turn is 

 undoubtedly connected with the fact that the fruit is somewhat more mature. 

 Such fruit might undoubtedly be kept if promptly put into cold storage; but in 

 ordinary storage it is considerably inferior to the somewhat less thoroughly ripened 

 fruit on the other manured plots. 



The fruit from plot 5 has almost invariably been much superior in appearance 

 to that produced on plots 1 or 4. Here again there have been individual variations 

 in the product of the different trees of the same variety on all of the different plots. 

 There has, however, been no doubt as to the fact that on the whole the product of 

 plot 5 has been considerably superior in color and general attractiveness as well 

 as in firmness of flesh to the product from plot 4; while the product from plot 1, 

 which receives barnyard manure, ranks below either of the others in the qualities 

 just mentioned. In general, the fruit produced on plot 5 shows a considerably 

 brighter and clearer color than that on either plots 4 or 1. There can be no doubt 

 that it would sell at a higher price in the general market than either of the others, 

 although the difference between plots 4 and 5 is considerably less than between 

 plots 1 and 5. The product of the unmanured plot, 3, shows good color and in 

 some cases is of fair size, but in general is too small to command the best prices. 



At the present time, after ten years of strip cultivation, these differences 

 between the several plots are not as marked as during the sod mulch 

 period, yet they continue in considerably reduced degree. 



1 Mass. Agr. Expt. Sta., Ann. Rept. 22, Pt. 2, p. 14 (1910). 



