106 FERTILIZERS 



Fifth, with the variety. Slow growing sorts like Wealthy and 

 Wagener will need nineli heavier fertilizing under the same condi- 

 tions, than more growthy sorts like Mcintosh and Baldwin 

 and Spy. 



It is only after all these items (and very possibly others) have 

 been considered carefully that an orchardist is in position to 

 decide what fertilizers he wall use. But if he will keep in mind 

 the fact that he ought to get a good growth of cover crop, if the 

 orchard is cultivated, or a good groAvth of grass, if it is in sod ; 

 and that his trees ought to grow from 15 to 20 inches on the 

 leaders in young bearing orchards ; and from 4 to 6 inches on 

 mature trees ; if he will keep all this in mind as a guide the problem 

 is not so difficult as it might seem. 



Bearing all this in mind we may suggest tlie following formu- 

 las, the amounts given being per acre in all cases : 



No. 1. For cultivated orchards. Apply nitrate of soda just 

 as the buds are breaking at from to 150 pounds, with perhaps 

 an equal amount when the cover crop is sown ; acid phosphate 

 to 300 pounds, and sulfate of potash to 200 pounds applied when 

 cover crop is sown. 



No. 2. For sod mulch orchards. Apply nitrate of soda 100 

 to 300 pounds; acid phosphate 150 to 300 pounds; sulfate of pot- 

 ash to 100 pounds, all applied in the early spring just as the 

 buds on the trees are breaking. 



No. 3. For orchards in sod, with the grass made into hay 

 and removed (w^hich we have already suggested ought almost 

 never to be done but which is very frequently done), the amount 

 given in No. 2 ought to be proportionately increased until one 

 gets the right amount of grow^th on his trees. 



No. 4. Where strips are cultivated in the orchard and the 

 balance is in sod the amounts used may be half way between 

 formulas No. 1 and No. 2. 



Munson and Frost, of Littleton, Massachusetts, use the fol- 

 lowing formula on their bearing apple orchard: 500 pounds 

 basic slag, and 225 pounds high grade sulfate of potash. 



Mr. A. C. Starr, of Starrs Point, Nova Scotia, w^rites; " We 



