i8i 



It will be borne in mind that the above remarks |°£f ts for 

 apply simply to the effects of the various sprays in : 

 causing an earlier blooming of the trees, but since this 

 early blooming was a striking characteristic of the 

 Nitrate-sprayed trees of 1912, which showed a fourfold 

 increase in production, it seems permissible to con- 

 clude that this effect on the fruit buds is some criterion 

 of what might have been expected in the way of crop 

 increase had not the fruit been lost by frost. 



The row of seven trees used in the Nitrate experi- 

 ment of 1912 was left unsprayed this last season for 

 the purpose of determining whether the Nitrate effect 

 would continue to the second year. It was noticed 

 that the fruit buds on these trees were particularly 

 large and plump, and somewhat unexpectedly at blos- 

 soming time these trees came into bloom several days 

 ahead of the check rows. The bloom came out very 

 uniformly all over the trees, whereas ordinarily it is 

 considerably delayed on the windward side. Also, the 

 individual blossoms were conspicuously larger than 

 those of any other plat, and, so far as could be judged 

 at the time the frost occurred, a good crop was setting 

 all over the trees. Thus, it appears that this effect 

 of the Nitrate of Soda had continued over to the second 

 year. 



At present, all things considered, the best results 

 have been obtained by using a mixture made up as 

 follows : 



Nitrate of Soda 200 pounds 



Caustic Soda 25 pounds 



Water 200 gallons 



In preparing this solution the required quantity 

 of water was placed in the spray tank and the agitator 

 started. When the water was in motion, the required 

 weight of Nitrate of Soda was added gradually. Any 

 large lumps were first broken up into pieces about the 

 size of hen's eggs. The caustic soda was then added, 

 and in about 15 minutes from the time the preparation 

 was begun the mixture was ready for applying. 



The trees were very thoroughly sprayed on all 

 sides, so that all of the small twigs were drenched. The 



