580 



FERTILIZATION 



(cf, Fig. 816) fuses with tlie nucleus of the egg ( 9, Fig. 

 816), and fertilization is complete. The other, hereto- 

 fore supposed to be disorganized, is now said to fuse 

 with 'the endosperm nucleus (e. Fig. 816). The fer- 

 tilized egg begins at once to grow and forms the em- 



ovule of l^ilium Philadelrhicum. 



•te.l from 



bryo, while the endosperm nucleus divides and forms 

 cells in which food may lie ^i-Tiii for the embryo when 

 it resumes growth at the tim. i.f L-eiiiiiDation. 



iiiu:i,t> I;f,)i. Baknes. 



FEETIIIZEBS. There i~ ..,„. fart that has been 

 fairly well established by experiment and inquiry, 

 namely, that fruits, flowers and vegetables are benefited 

 by the intelligent application of manures and fertilizers, 

 and that, in the majority of cases, such application is 

 followed by profit. In the first place, these crops should 

 be classified for purposes of fertilization according to 

 theirperiod of growth, the first class including the peren- 

 nial fruits and flowers, and the second, the annual flowers 

 and vegetables. Those of the first class differ from or- 

 dinary crops in that a longer season of preparation is 

 required, during which time the growth is vegetative 

 rather than productive, though upon this vegetative 

 growth depends the quality and value of the fruit or 

 flower obtained. The growth of both tree and fruit is 

 dependent, too, not only upon the food acquired during 

 its year of growth, but also upon that previously ac- 

 quired, and which has been stored up in bud and 

 branches. 



The tree fruits include apples, pears, peaches, plums, 

 cherries, apricots, etc. It may be regarded as a safe 

 assumption that the fertility elements, phosphoric acid. 



FERTILIZERS 



potash and lime, contribute materially to the proper 

 growth and hardenius of the wood, as well as the matu- 

 ration of the fruit. The necessity for added nitrogen 

 is, on the whole, ime 1, 1, ss ; it should be applied as 

 the need for it ;i|i|h ;,i ~ in tlie lack of vigor of the tree. 

 In the next i.la.e, ii i^ -ale to assume that the mate- 

 rials wliieli lurnivh il:. -r , h iiH III- or constituents in 

 slowly axaihil.lr loni - , - ' ■' '■ '■■ he quite as useful, 

 exee)it uii.hr s|ieri;, i tlioso whlch are 



tlioii^'li ^h.\vl\ . i^ ahh- lo ohu.iu Iri.iii the gradually dis- 

 sol\iiiL' ^nh-taii'es a sullicieut amount for its daily 

 iiee.N. IhiM ,■. a- a rule, fertilizers for fruit trees may 

 iiielmle th. h -^ available and cheaper forms of con- 



Ar-pi.ES AND Pears. -On soils of - 1 natural char- 

 acter, the fertilization of apph- aiel p. ar- n. ed not be- 

 gin until the trees reach the h. ninu' |i' ii".l. when an 

 annual dressing of 400 pounds jier aere ot either of the 

 following mixtures should be applied in early spring, 

 and plowed in : 



No. 1. — One part, or 100 pounds each, of ground bone, 

 acid phosphate and muriate of potash. 



lYo. a. — One and one-half parts, or 150 pounds, of 

 ground bone, and one part, or 100 pounds, of muriate of 



As tlie trees grow older, these dressings should be in- 

 creased. While no definite rules can be laid down as 

 to the most profitable amounts to apply, the best growers 

 find that for mature trees it pays to use from 1,000 to 

 1,500 pounds annually. In many cases nitrogen, in 

 addition to that contained in the mixture, should be 

 used, the liind and form depending, perhaps, upon the 

 relative cost more than upon any other one thing, the 

 minimum amount to be 20 pounds per acre, or an equiva- 

 lent of 125 pounds of nitrate of soda. In many cases it 

 is possilile to obtain the necessary nitrogen from the 

 growing of leguminous crops, as crimson clover and red 

 clover, though when these are used they should be 

 plowed down early in the spring, in order that their 

 growth may not interfere with the growth of the tree. 

 If they are allowed to remain until mature, they absorb 

 not only the food that may be necessary for the growth 

 of tree and fruit, but the moisture also, and thus they 

 frequently injure rather than improve the crop pros- 

 pects. On poor soils, the necessity for fertilization is 

 naturally greater. In fact, on these liberal fertilization 

 — 500 pounds per acre— should precede the setting of 

 the trees, and be continued annually. On these soils, 

 too, green manuring, as a source of nitrogen, can be 

 practiced with safety for a longer period than in the 

 preceding case. 



Peaches.— Peaches differ from apples and pears in re- 

 spect to fertilizing. The demands for added plant- 

 food are proportionately greater in the early life of the 

 tree, and are different because of their more rapid 

 growth, their early bearing, and the exhaustive charac- 

 ter of the crops. On soils of good natural character, 

 however, the necessity for fertilizing is seldom apparent 

 until after the first or second year of growth. That is, 

 good soils will provide sufficient food for a normal de- 

 velopment of leaf and wood, and any additional fertili- 

 zation would have the tendency to unduly increase the 

 tree growth. On medium and poor soils, "the setting of 

 the trees should be preceded by a fertilization, prefer- 

 ably broadcast in spring, and plowed in, with one or the 

 other of the mixtures recommended for apples and 

 pears, as follows : 



JVb. i. — One part, or 100 pounds each, of ground bone, 

 acid phosphate and muriate of potash. 



JV'o. g.-One and one-half parts, or 150 pounds, of 

 ground bone and one part, or 100 pounds, of muriate of 

 potash. 



On the better soils. No. 2, and on the poorer. No. 1, at 

 the rate of 400 to 600 pounds per acre, which should be 

 followed by the application of the more soluble fertili- 

 zers, immediately the trees begin to bear. The need of 

 nitrogen is often very marked, and is shown by a lack 

 of vigor of the tree. Nitrate of soda applied broadcast 

 in early spring has proved a very valuable form of ni- 

 trogen, since it is appropriated by the rt 

 early season, and if a sufficient abundance of the i 

 erals is present, it enables a normal development of 



agthe 



