3IANURIN(i ORCHARDS. 163 



was very noticeable in the next crop, even though that year fer- 

 tilized with nitrates as usual. 



This orchard is situated in the peach region on soil well adapted 

 for fruits, and was in a good state of fertility when the trees were 

 planted. Orchards in the immediate neighborhood that were 

 planted at the same time, and which were either not fertilized at 

 all, or in a very unsystematic way, have all been removed, either 

 because of the death of the trees, or because the crops received 

 were not sufficient to pay for the labor of caring for the orchard. 



It may be well to state, too, that this orchard, consisting of ten 

 acres, has produced eight profitable crops ; one crop returned a net 

 profit of $200 per acre, while the average net profit for the whole 

 period of the life of the orchard, now twelve years, is over $50 per 

 acre. 



Another orchard, situated on a sandy loam soil, which had been 

 fertilized liberally with ground bone and muriate of potash only, 

 showed signs of decay at the age of nine 3'ears. The spring of the 

 tenth year a part of the orchard received, in addition to the bone 

 and potash, 200 pounds per acre of nitrate of soda, and another 

 part was seeded with crimson clover in the fall of the ninth year, 

 which was used as a green manure crop in the spring of the tenth 

 year. The effect of the added nitrogen was very striking, the 

 trees revived, the color of the leaves changed to a dark green, and 

 the fruit increased considerably, so that now, at the age of 

 thirteen years, this fertilization having been continued in the 

 meantime, it presents a healthy and vigorous appearance. 



The third example is furnislied by a pear orchard of ten acres, 

 which has not missed a full and profitable crop since it came into 

 bearing, now more than ten years, and is fertilized annually with 

 one-half ton of an even mixture of ground bone and muriate of 

 potash ; it received nitrogen in the form of nitrate of soda in the 

 earlier stages of its life, while for the past five years the nitrogen 

 has been supplied through the means of green manures. 



The practice of the Burlington County farmers is also in evi- 

 dence as to the benefits of large and continued applications of 

 nitrogen in the form of barnyard manure, since more than one- 

 third of the whole number represented use this exclusively, while 

 nearly all who use it find the practice profitable. It would seem, 

 therefore, that the advantage of nitrogenous manuring is suffi- 

 ciently well established, and that the chief questions are as to the 



