258 REMARKS ON FRUIT AND FRUIT TREES. 



The appropriate manures. Much has been written, of late, on 

 the subject oi special manures, that is, tlie adaptation of an ap- 

 propriate fertilizer, to each class of vegetation — and I entertain 

 no doubt, that the great secret of successful cultivation, so far 

 as manure is concerned, is the application of the rigJU sort, to 

 each particular crop. Chemists tell us that for wheat we 

 want Zi/ne ; for turnips, phosphate of lime, bone dust ; and, for the 

 leguminous plants, peas, beans, &;c., gypsum, (plaster of Paris.) 

 They also inform us, that the ashes of trees and plants contain 

 the ingredients which constitute the food they require, and that 

 it can be administered with almost as much precision, as that 

 given to sustain and nourish the animal system. What then, is 

 the appropriate manure for fruit trees ? 



By the analysis of Dr. Emmons, it is found, that the bark and 

 sapwood of the apple tree are composed of more than one-half 

 Zime, one-fifth 79o^«s A, and about one-sixth phosphate of lime ; 

 therefore, the compost for the apple should consist largely of 

 lim,e, and less oi potash and6o«c5. 



The analysis of the bark and sapwood of the pear tree shows 

 that the ashes contain nearly one-third part phospliate of lime, 

 more than one-fourth potash, and about one-third lime; and, 

 following out this theory, the compost for the pear should con- 

 sist more largely oi bones and potash, than for the apple. 



This view of the subject might be further illustrated, but 

 sufficient experiments have already been made, to establish the 

 importance of specif c manures, not only for fruit trees, but for 

 crops generally ; and from soils worn out by continued cropping, 

 or from our old orchards and gardens, where the proper fertiliz- 

 ing substances have been exhausted, although overloaded with 

 other manures, we cannot expect a favorable result, either as it 

 regards the health of the tree, or the perfection of its fruit. 



A French chemist had received a medal, for the discovery of 

 a method of preventing the early defoliation of trees, particular- 

 ly the young pear stocks in nurseries — this was a weak solution 

 o{ sulphate of iron (copperas;) the oxide of iron had also been 

 named as a specific, both for the premature falling of the leaf, 

 and for the restoration to health of worn-out pear trees. He had 

 made experiments with both, and entertained a favorable opin- 

 ion of their effect. 



