12 N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION. [Bulletin 190 



Effect of Fertilizers. 



Of special interest in this work are the results of the continu- 

 ous use of fertilizers. In an earlier paper* we stated that "a 

 five-year average of the results from this orchard do not show an 

 increase in the yield of the fertilized plots over those receiving 

 good culture, or a sufficient increase in the growth of the trees to 

 warrant the use of fertilizers. . . . What the future may 

 reveal in this experiment cannot be told." After another five 

 years it is well to examine the records and see what changes have 

 come about. Here we again find that no special increase in yield 

 has been brought about although the orchard is developing in 

 that direction. For instance in 1914 one of the fertilized plots 

 (Plot 6) bore about 2 per cent more fruit than a similarly cultivated 

 plot which received no fertihzer (Plot 4) and in 1916 (the only 

 other year in the period in which we had a crop) one of the fer- 

 tilized plots (Plot 10) yielded 12 per cent more than Plot 5 which 

 was the highest yielding unfertilized plot that year. On the 

 other hand we have had a decided increase in growth in the fer- 

 tilized plots. Yet at the end of eleven years' work we are still 

 out of pocket as a result of applying the fertiUzers although we 

 think we can see some financial gain in the next five-year period. 

 We do not mean by this statement that the orchard has not been 

 benefited for such is not the case, but only that if the books were 

 balanced today after eleven years of fertilization we would have 

 the fertilizer bill on our hands with no increase in yield to liqui- 

 date it. 



* N. H. Exper. Sta. Bid. No. 168. 



