124 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



experimenting is needed, but in the light of our present 

 knowledge, it would seem that a green crop growing 

 rapidly in late summer would serve to absorb the soluble 

 plant-food of the soil, which might otherwise unduly stimu- 

 late growth of wood in the trees, and to hold this store of 

 food till the trees needed it again. This I conceive to be 

 one of the uses of a green crop in the fall. In the spring, 

 I would not call it any great loss if the crop dies — as 

 crimson clover is so likely to do after living all winter. 

 The plant-food is there in its roots ready to be taken up 

 by the trees. But if the crop is all there in the spring, 

 how long shall we let it grow ? Some do not plow till the 

 middle of May, when the clover is in full bloom. I ques- 

 tion whether, when turned under as lata as that, the trees 

 will get very much plant-food from it the same year. If 

 the land is inclined to be dry, harm may be done by dry- 

 ing out the soil too much with this lush crop. If, on the 

 other hand, the land is very moist, the green crop, by 

 standing till full grown, may be a benefit, playing the part 

 of a temporary underdrain. 



Seventh : Is there any formula which may serve as a 

 general guide in fertilizing orchards ? I have none to rec- 

 ommend. In New Jersey, Professor Voorhees, who has 

 had as good a chance for study and observation on this 

 matter, says these proportions have been found very ser- 

 viceable : One part, or loo pounds each, of ground bone, 

 acid phosphate and muriate of potash, or 150 pounds of 

 ground bone to 100 pounds of muriate; i. e., four parts of 

 nitrogen, 50 parts of potash, and from 22 to 36 of phos- 

 phoric acid. On soils of good character, for apples and 

 pears,. Professor Voorhees would use 400 pounds of either of 

 the above mixtures, beginning when the trees reach the 

 bearing period. As they grow older, and bear more, 

 increase the dose. He says, however, that the best growers 

 use from 1,000 to 1,500 pounds of this mixture annually, 

 and find their profit not only in larger yields, but in 

 quality of fruit and in increased tendency to continuous 

 crops and longer life of the trees. On lighter, sandy soils, he 

 would use even more of this "basic" formula, and with it 

 at least 20 pounds of nitrogen in some form, equivalent to 



