STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 141 



bushel fine charcoal, one bushel slacked lime, one bushel uiileached 

 ashes and one peck of salt. Mix well together, and give half a 

 bushel to a tree at planting. Half a peck I should think sufficient. 



A. J. Downing, the accomplished pomologist, author of Down- 

 ing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America, and formerly editor of 

 the Horticullurist, has left us his testimony in favor of the applica- 

 tion of alkaline manures in the cultivation of fruit. lie wrote and 

 published, j-ears ago, the following: 



"For old apple orchards, for a soil deficient in lime, recom- 

 mended a top dressing of lime ; for a middle sized bearing tree, a 

 peck of air slacked lime. To keep an apple orchard in a fruit 

 bearing condition in a soil not calcareous and not congenial to the 

 tree, it should be dressed with lime and ashes, equal quantities. 

 For pear trees, peat or swamp-muck and polash or ashes. A wagon 

 load of peat or swamp-muck to ten bushels of fresh ashes, mix and 

 let lie a fortnight before using — give each middle sized tree a 

 bushel annually, a newly planted tree a half peck." As a general 

 compost for fruit trees and vines, we repeat that nothing is equal 

 to ashes and sioamp-muck in combination with other alkiline 

 manures. Almost hundreds of cases can be found through the 

 Horticulturist during his life, giving unmistakable evidence of his 

 high estimate of the restorative powers of alkaline manures in their 

 application to exhausted soils. 



Mr. J. J. Thomas, in his American Fruit Culturist, endorses Mr. 

 Downing fully in his views, by introducing his recommendations 

 in his book, under the head of " Special Manures," and gives the 

 following as the quantity of lime, potash and phosphate of lime 

 contained respectively in the apple, pear and grape : 



Apple — Potash, 16; lime, 19; phosphate lime, 17. 

 Pear — Potash, 22; lime, 13; phosphate lime, 27. 

 Peach — Potash, 12; lime, 23; phosphate lime, 21. 

 Grape — Potash, 21 ; lime, 17 ; phosphate lime, 15. 



And adds, the proportions of these ingredients, although not 

 exceeding the quantities found in some other plants, are so large 

 as to show conclusively the importance of a proper supply in the 

 soil. They already exist in all soils adapted to the growth of fruit 

 trees, but their small amount in particular localities, from natural 

 deficiency or from long cultivation, may render their application a 

 matter of the greatest importance. Such applications may be 

 partially n)ade by common yard manure, which contains them in 



