PRINCIPLES OF FRUIT PRODUCTION 435 



should stop to give trees or shrubs a chance to ripen their growth to with- 

 stand the winter. Unless this is done, growth may continue too late in the 

 fall, and the plants suffer during winter in consequence. 



Fertilizing. — While it may be true that land which will grow any farm 

 crops will grow fruit without manuring, yet most money is made from fruit 

 crops fed to get higher quality, larger size, better color and the other points 

 that make for higher prices. How much and what kind to apply will depend 



Picking Apples in the Rogue River Valley, Oregon. 1 



upon the character of the soil, the kind of crop and so on. Many farmers 

 and fruit growers put the question to the land itself by trying experiments 

 with various combinations of fertilizers until they find out the one best 

 suited to the desired end. In general, it must be remembered that nitro- 

 genous plant-food tends to be lost by seepage and also to produce wood 

 rather than fruit; hence, it must be handled with greater caution than 

 either potash or phosphoric acid, neither of which is lost to any serious 

 extent from the soil; nor does either jeopardize the ability of the plants to 

 withstand winter injury. 



1 Courtesy of Portland Commercial Club, Portland, Oregon. 



