\ 

 I 



March, 1928] agricultural experiments 1927 7 



per tree. Measurement of twig growth showed that the applications of 

 nitrate of soda and ammonium sulphate increased growth approximately 25 

 per cent over the check plot, and a complete fertilizer gave a somewhat 

 equivalent increase. In no case was there evidence that the diameter of 

 the new growth was affected by the fertilizer treatment. 



It is somewhat surprising, also, in view of the marked differences which 

 had been produced by the fertilizer treatments on the set and the crop 

 to find no influence on flower formation. However, it is an accepted 

 principle that a heavy set of flowers followed by the production of a 

 good crop of fruit has a tendency to inhibit fruit bud formation. The 

 fact that the trees which received fertilizer set and carried a heavier crop 

 than those which did not, would tend to decrease flower formation and 

 evidently counteracted any tendency of the fertilizers to increase the 

 formation of flower embryos. 



Similar observations were made on older trees on the University farm. 

 There nitrate of soda was applied two weeks before bloom and two 

 weeks after bloom. The date of application did not appear to affect 

 significantly either the average annual twig growth, or the proportion 

 of flower buds formed. (Adams Fund.) 



CHEMISTRY OF FRUIT BUD FORMATION 



The importance of ascertaining the relation between the chemical 

 constituents of fruit spurs and fruit bud formation ma}' be easily seen 

 and for several 3^ears work has been in progress at the Station on this 

 subject. The use of a new method for the rapid calculation of the cor- 

 relation coefficient has been followed by G. F. Potter and T. G. PhilHps 

 on 26 different plots. The data, which are still being analyzed, indicate 

 that both soluble and insoluble nitrogen have a very definite relation 

 to fruit bud formation. On July 1 the per cent of starch showed a 

 definite positive correlation with the size of the spurs; but by August 

 1 this relation had disappeared, and the starch content in spurs of the same 

 size did not seem to affect one way or another the proportion of fruit 

 buds formed. 



FERTILIZING PEACH TREES 



The importance of nitrogen in peach culture was shown in studies 

 last year of different plots in one orchard receiving various fertilizer 

 treatments. 



The plots which received nitrogen, either alone or in combination, 

 had an increased trunk diameter and an increased average yield per tree 

 of approximately 7}4 pounds. 



In this season, as in 1925, a decided benefit appeared from the use of 

 muriate of potash in addition to nitrate of soda; the trees receiving this 

 treatment yielded nearly 8 pounds more than those which were given 

 nitrogen without the potash. This does not appear to be due to any 

 increase in the growth or size of the tree. The potash treatment in- 

 creased the yield of peaches in two seasons in which the moisture supply 

 was abundant, but did not do so in 1926, which was rather dry. (Hatch 

 Fund.) 



