PEACHES 157 



I always dislike to discuss the question of the 

 use of fertilizers for peaches or for any other 

 fruit because we really know so little about the 

 whole subject. There have been a few discon- 

 nected experiments conducted at various ex- 

 periment stations, but these give us no informa- 

 tion of value beyond the fertilizer requirements 

 of the plots where the experimental work was 

 done. There is a point of soil fertility above 

 which it is simply wasteful to apply fertilizers, 

 a point where the soil contains all the fertility 

 that the tree can use. To add more is simply 

 providing material that can only remain inert. 

 Whether a certain orchard or portion of an or- 

 chard requires the addition of fertilizers can 

 only be told by experiment. The individual 

 grower must find out by trial applications just 

 which materials will do the most good — or 

 whether they will do any good at all. In most 

 orchards nitrate of soda has proved to be bene- 

 ficial in promoting wood growth and in increas- 

 ing the hardiness of the fruit buds. It is ap- 

 plied to newly planted trees at the rate of about 

 an ounce per tree. This is gradually increased 

 until the bearing trees six or eight years old get 

 about two pounds per tree. The general prob- 

 lem of fertilizers, however, must be solved by 

 the individual growers, suiting their practice 

 to the needs of their individual soils. 



Inter-crops grown between the trees in a 



