FERTILIZERS AND MANURES FOR THE ORCHARD 215 



It is of course well established that lime will increase ni- 

 trification in the soil, but orchard experiments, and many are 

 on record, do not show much benefit from its use. The inter- 

 crops and cover-crops, on the other hand, may require it 

 and as soon as this can be determined, lime should ])e applied. 



184. Effect of fertilizing on regular bearing. — It is 

 usually found that, unless weather or other external causes 

 interfere, fruit-trees that respond to tillage, fertilizer, or 

 both will be more regular in their bearing than those that 

 are somewhat below normal. It has been observed that well- 

 fertilized trees are noticeably more productive in a season 

 unfavorable for setting fruit or following a severe winter 

 than untreated individuals.^ 



185. Application of fertilizers.— When fertilizers are 

 ai)])lied to a mulched or sodded orchard, they are merely 

 broadcasted on the mulch or over the entire orchard area 

 as the case may be, and the succeeding rains dissolve and 

 carry them into the soil. This is usually done about the 

 time the blossoms are ready to open, although in the case of 

 nitrate of soda it may be applied earlier. When fertilizers 

 arc added to a tilled orchard, they are usually applied after 

 it is .plowed and perhaps harrowed once in the spring, thus 

 incorporating them with the soil early in the growing season. 



186. Size of fruit is influenced largely by the amount 

 which a tree has set. Good cultural methods will increase 

 the size provided they do not result in an overload of the 

 trees, in which case the size may not be maintained. Ferti- 

 lizers, especially those containing a liberal amount of potash, 

 seem to have some effect in increasing size. Whenever 

 moisture is well maintained, the size is increased. Manure 

 will often produce excessively large and coarse fmits. 



Yomig trees are likelj^ to produce over-sized fruit, even to 

 the point of losing some of the normal characteristics of 

 1 N. J. Agr. E.\p. Sta. Ann. Kept. 1884-94. 



