33 

 MANURING ORCHARDS. 



\\e are only going to deal in a few words with this important 

 matter recognising the fact that almost invariably throughout the 

 country trees planted will need manure ; we will simply say that 

 we are very much against such manure being applied at the time 

 of planting the trees. Our general principle is that we prefer to 

 plant with no manure to enable us to form an opinion as to what 

 the soil will do unaided. Should manure be applied at planting, 

 one can never form an opinion, if the growth be satisfactory, as 

 to how much is due to the application of the manure, or how much 

 natural fertility there may be already in the soil. One is there- 

 fore a bit fogged in the intelligent application of the manure in 

 future years. There are just one or two considerations as re- 

 gards the time of application. It is recognised, of course, by any 

 novice that manure of whatever kind is of no value to a plant 

 unless it is brought into solution by aid of water, either through 

 the medium of rains, or by it being led in ; therefore, should 

 your orchard be one where the trees are grown without irrigation, 

 the manure must be applied during the rainy season. If it is a 

 very soluble manure, as guano, sulphate of potash, nitrate of soda, 

 &c.. a few inches of rain upon it will bring about the desired 

 effect. If it is not so soluble, as Thomas Phosphate, bone meal" 

 of coarse grade. &c., it w r ill require more water when it is neces- 

 sary to get early results, therefore, we would say, use your judg- 

 ment as to the date of application of the manure, according to the 

 particular stuff you wish to apply. 



Speaking as to the sort of manure, we can only lay down 

 as a sound principle that if one wants to force growth, nitro- 

 genous and potash manures will do it. and if one wishes to force 

 fruit, potash manure and phosphatic manures should be used, and 

 nitrogenous manures carefully avoided. 



In applying don't give it to the stem of the tree : manures 

 can be absorbed by the tree only when entering through the fine 

 feeding roots, the thick roots at the base of a tree do not assist 

 to feed it. they are unable to take in either sustenance or 

 moisture. 



MANURES AND MANURING. 



\Ye may say at once that in our opinion the success of the 

 future of the Fruit Industry is largely merged in the recognition 

 of the absolute need of manure and the intelligent application of 

 same to the several qualities of soils. The sooner fruit-growers 

 recognise this and combine with agriculturists in other branches 

 in insisting on securing 1 their needs delivered on their farms at 



