FERTILIZERS 



223 



3. Fertilizers. On the matter of fertilizers for the renovated 

 orchard the writer has rather decided opinions, based on his 

 work in several orchards and on observations in several others. 



No Nitrogen. In the first place, there ought to be no 

 nitrogen of any kind applied the first year. This comes as near 

 to being a rule without ex- 

 ceptions as we are likely to 

 run across. Just think for 

 a moment of what has been 

 done to the orchard. If all 

 that has been outlined (with 

 the addition of cultivation 

 and spraying) has been car- 

 ried out thoroughly it will 

 be the most surprised lot of 

 trees in the state, without 

 the addition of an ounce 

 of nitrogen. We have taken 

 away from one-fourth to 

 nine-tenths of the top, which 

 alone would induce a vigor- 

 ous growth; it has been 

 freed from insect and fun- 

 gous attacks and the soil has 

 been stirred up so as to sup- 

 ply it with all the water it 

 can use, something it prob- 

 ably has not had for years. 

 Incidentally this soil treat- 

 ment seems to give it about 

 all the plant food that it can 

 use and it puts forth a rank, 



dark green growth that would do credit to a green bay instead 

 of a green apple tree. A glance at Figure 102 will show the 

 type of growth to be expected. 



Now suppose that more nitrogen has been added, particularly 

 slowly available nitrogen, like barn manure or tankage. The 



Fia. 103. Trunk of a tree damaged by too 

 much nitrogen. The cambium layer has been 

 killed and the bark is separating from the wood. 



