MANURING ORCHARDS. 159 



of the constituents most desirable, we liuve to depend rather upon 

 the opinion of experts than upon well ascertained data, though the 

 Cornell experiment, already quoted, is interesting in that it throws 

 considerable light upon the question of proportion of the various 

 constituents. In tliis connection I shall quote the opinions of 

 leading horticulturists. 



In "Farmers' Bulletin," No. 33, of the Department of Agri- 

 culture, on Peach Growing, Erwin F. Smith, the author, under the 

 caption '■'■Fertilizers," sa^'s : '' Some words are necessary on the 

 use and misuse of fertilizers. Unless the trees are on strong 

 land it will be necessary as soon as they come in bearing, and 

 yearly thereafter, to give them each spring or autumn some special 

 fertilizer. There can be no objection to the use of well com- 

 posted barnyard manure. Where this is not procurable depend- 

 ence must be put on clover and commercial fertilizers, taking 

 care always that the latter are obtained from reliable sources. 

 In general the dependence should be on potash salts and phos- 

 phates rather than on nitrogenous fertilizers. The peach can be 

 injured readily by excess of nitrogen. Its effect upon the trees 

 is to produce excessive growth of wood and foliage at the expense 

 of the fruit. Fifty to a hundred pounds per acre of nitrate of 

 soda or its equivalent in dried blood or sulphate of ammonia is 

 usually as much nitrogenous fertilizer as any orchard requires, 

 and manjr orchards do not need it at all. Muriate of potash, 

 kainit, or sulphate of potash may be used in large quantities with- 

 out injur}'. Four to five hundred pounds per acre will do no 

 harm, provided it is not put too close to the trunks of the 

 trees." 



This opinion is based U[)on the results of studies to determine 

 the relation of fertility to peach yellows, which were not continued 

 for a long period. 



In Bulletin No. 72 of the Cornell Experiment Station, Professor 

 L. H. Bailey says : 



" Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are the elements which 

 need to be applied to orchard lands. 



" Nitrogen is particularly etlicacious in promoting growth. In 

 fact the amount of growth and the color of foliage are reliable 

 guides for the application of nitrogen. Orchards are grown for 

 fruit, not for forestry purposes. In general, it is better to supply 

 nitrogen by good cultivation — which assists nitrification — and 



