863 



FERTILIZING* 



If the orchard is planted in rich alluvial lands, it will? 

 require little or no fertilizers. If, however, as is frequently 

 the case, the owner desires to fertilize, one should study the j 

 age of the orchard and prepare the fertilizers accordingly. li- 

 the trees are young- and only growth is sought for, the fertil- 

 izers should consist largely of Nitrogen, additioned, of course,- 

 by small quantities of acid phosphate and potash. This mix- 

 ture should contain at least two parts of Nitcogen to one 

 part each of Phosphoric Acid and Potash. 



If, on the other hand, the trees have reached the bear- 

 ing stage and nuts are desired, the above ingredients should 

 be mixed so that they would be in equal proportions in the 

 mixture. In many alluvial lands potash exists in large quan- 

 tities and in readily available forms, and may therefore be 

 omitted in any fertilizer destined for these soils. 



Upon sandy soils, with young trees, the importance of 

 Nitrogen is more strongly emphasized. Net only should the 

 fertilizers applied contain an excess of Nitrogen, but the soil 

 should be constantly cropped with some leguminous plants 

 as cow p^a>, velvet beans, etc.)? which should at maturity 

 be incorporated with the soil. At the time of planting these 

 crops, applications of acid phosphate (200 to 400 pounds per 

 acre), and muriate of potash (50 to 100 pounds per acre) may 

 be advantageously ma ie. They will insure a large crop of 

 vines, and any excess of these ingredients will be held in 

 reserve for the growing trees. This annual incorporation of 

 vegetable matter, rich in Nitrogen, gathered almost entirely 

 from the atmosphere, will not only furnish the trees with the 

 chief element of growth (Nitrogen), tmt will largely increase 

 the supply of humus in the soil. Humus carries with it to a 

 soil so many benefits that it is difficult to mention them all. 

 To the pecan tree, however, its water-holding capacity is of 

 the utmost importance. Besides this annual leguminous- 

 crjp, trees on poor soils should be individually fertilized. 

 This is accomplished by broadcasting around the tree in a 

 circle whose radious is equal to the heighth of the tree. The 

 quantity to be applied varies with the age of the tree. To a 



