MANURING GARDEN TREES. 253 



storing up in the tissues of the right materials. Others, 

 moreover, begin to apply manures to a tree before it has 

 become established, and has had time to form an abun- 

 dance of fibrous roots to collect and assimilate them, and 

 the result is failure to make the progress expected. 



When Manures are Required. Manures can only be of 

 real assistance to a fruit tree when it has been planted 

 at least a year, and is furnished with a plenitude of 

 fibrous roots ; when it is in good health ; and particularly 

 so when it is bearing freely. It is, indeed, in the latter 

 stage that the tree needs additional food to enable it to 

 perfect and mature its crop. A tree which grows too 

 freely, and produces too little fruit, requires to be manured 

 differently to one which shows a tendency to crop too 

 freely, but does not grow vigorously in proportion. Thus, 

 we see that to grow fruit trees successfully we must not 

 apply manures haphazardly, but with caution and judgment. 



Main Elements of Plant Food. Three main elements 

 of plant food are required to produce successful growth 

 and the development of fruit. These are phosphates, 

 potash, and nitrogen. Other minor elements are usually 

 present in sufficient quantities in the soil. Phosphates 

 assist particularly in the development of flowers and the 

 seeds ; potash in the formation of fruits ; and nitrogen in 

 leaf, cell, and tissue formation ; but all three, nevertheless, 

 combine in the formation of the tree as a whole. As trees 

 grow and perfect their fruits, they take annually out of 

 the soil a good deal of phosphates, potash, and nitrogen ; 

 indeed, according to an American experiment, it has been 

 found that ten bushels of apples removed from the soil 

 in one season i|lb. of nitrogen =iolb. nitrate of soda; 

 i fib. potash = 1 5lb. of kainit; and ^lb. of phosphate of 

 lime = 2lb. of superphosphate of lime. Potash especially 

 is therefore in great demand by fruitful trees. 



Natural Manures. Stable or farmyard manures serve 

 the two-fold purpose of supplying the soil with humus for 



