FOOD FOR PLANTS 159 



In an experiment conducted v/ith Mr. C. L. Page 

 of Billerica, Massachusetts, to determine the increase 

 in size of fruit and length of terminal growth, the 

 following results were obtained : 



Average growth on Nitrated trees . . — 6^2 inches 

 Average growth on check trees — 4J/^ inches 



The Nitrated trees averaged per tree 16.8 bus. apples 1 a ^ _„o 



°^^'' 2^/^ i"- ^dd 23 bus 



The Nitrated trees averaged per tree 6.2 bus. apples f ^i '" " 



under 2^ in. J ^" *"^- 



Check trees averaged per tree 8.8 bus. apples over 1 a„~^o„« 

 91/ ;„ Average 



214 in. 

 Check trees averaged per tree 7.2 bus. apples under 



yield 16 bus. 



21/2 in. J P^^ *"«• 



In Bulletin No. 87 of the Connecticut Agricultural 

 College Extension Service, W. H. Darrow says: 



"Nitrate fertilization should be considered a neces- 

 sity in the sod orchard. Except possibly on the rich- 

 est soils, nitrogenous fertilizers have been profitable 

 in all sod orchards where used. Increased yields of 

 100 to 300 per cent or more are not uncommon follow- 

 ing the use of a quickly available nitrogenous fertil- 

 lizer in starved sod orchards. Increased yields of 50 

 to 100 per cent have been obtained in orchards in fair 

 condition of vigor. 



"The results obtained from fertilization in one 

 Connecticut orchard are given below : 



Per Acre Yields With and Without Nitrogen Fertilization. 



Orchard of A. E. Johnson, Bethlehem, Conn. 

 Trees 24-26 years of age. 



Check Fertilized Gain for 



Plot Plot Fertilization 



1922 144 bu. 568 bu. 424 bu. 



1923 96 " 123 " 27 " 



1924 214 " 553 " 339 " 



3 year average 151^/3 bu. 414% bu. 263i/i bu. 



