cated. If desirable, two or three months later a further p^ ts for 



application of one and a half pounds of Nitrate of Soda 



and potash may be made. In the case of your par- J 95 

 ticular soil, it may well be that it is sufficiently rich 

 in potash, and therefore, may not require a large appli- 

 cation of it. In any event, the grower must be 

 governed by the condition of his grove and the general 

 character of soil and climate in his particular locality. 



The early decay of orchards as well as failure to 

 set fruit buds, is largely a matter of jack of plant food. 

 Orchards should have Nitrate, applied early in the 

 season, as late supplies of Nitrogen are liable to cause a 

 heavy setting of leaf buds at the expense of next year's 

 fruit. The ordinary ammonia tes are not satisfactory 

 for orchard work, as they continue to supply available 

 ammonia all through the season; not enough in the early 

 part of the year to properly set the fruit, hence severe 

 dropping; too much late in the year when none is 

 needed and which causes the formation of leaf rather 

 than fruit buds. The soil between the trees should 

 be regularly tilled, much as in corn growing. That it 

 is not generally done is no argument against the value 

 of such cultivation methods. 



