59 



and fruit of apple, pear, cherry and bush fruits consume Food for 

 yearly per square yard of surface shaded by the tree or bush, 

 219 grains of Nitrogen, 65 grains of phosphoric acid, and 

 284 grains of actual potash; equivalent to fertilizer chemi- 

 cals as follows : 



Nitrate of Soda per square yard 3.5 ounces. 



Acid Phosphate per square yard 1.5 ounces. 



Muriate Potash per square yard 1.5 ounces. 



Except on high-priced land garden Amount of Ra- 

 crops should not be grown m orchards, but ^.^^ ^^ pj^^^ 

 where this custom is followed the quantity p^^^ ^^^ q^^ 

 of plant food should be increased to suit j^^^ 

 the needs of the additional crop to be 

 grown. For fruit alone apply between the tall of the leaf 

 and the bursting of the buds, per square yard of surface 

 shaded by the tree, the quantities of plant food shown 

 above to be the actual needs of the crop. If the trees have 

 made a weak growth the previous season, or have heavily 

 fruited, applv between May and July about one ounce of 

 Nitrate of Soda per square yard of surface ; this in addition 

 to the previously applied plant food. 



The practical effect of artificial manures for fruit cannot 

 be denied, not only for quantity, but also for the quality of 

 the crop. Stable manures seem to fail of regular bountiful 

 results, probably because the stable manure supplies its 

 ammonia in the Nitrated form very irregularly, and fruit 

 trees can use ammonia plant food only in the Nitrated form. 

 Practical figures showing the profitableness of artificial ma- 

 nures, fertilizers, have been shown by many experiments, 

 particularly by those conducted at P'eldbrunnen, near 

 Osterode, Germany. 



The rational fertilization of fruit trees depends somewhat 

 upon their period of growth ; young trees need ample sup- 

 plies of Nitrated ammonia and potash to develop and ripen 

 new wood. Later, at the bearing age, phosphoric acid and 

 Nitrated ammonia are required for the formation of fruiting 

 buds. These two phases in the making of an orchard should 

 have due consideration and plant food used accordingly. 



Apples. Cherries. Plums. 



Unfertilized 100 lbs. 100 lbs. 100 lbs. 



Fertilized 3>42o lbs. 218 lbs. 329 lbs. 



