78 INTENSIVE FARMING 



now required for national banks, together with 

 a constant inspection. 



The improvement and protection of the com- 

 mission sales business is of equal importance to 

 both producer and consumer. Unsatisfactory 

 returns to the producer tend to discourage pro- 

 duction, lower the quality, and give the dealer 

 an excuse for charging a high price, which 

 works a hardship upon the consumer and tends 

 to curtail consumption. Liberal production, to- 

 gether with large consumption based on a sys- 

 tem of quick sales and reasonable profits to 

 every one, produces most satisfactory economic 

 conditions. 



Maintenance of Fertility. The maintenance 

 of fertility in the orchard is as important as it 

 is in connection with any other agricultural crop. 

 Upon some soils fertilizers are essential early 

 in the life of the tree, while upon others they 

 may not be required until the trees are brought 

 under the strain of crop production. The length 

 of the annual growth and the size and color of 

 the fruit should be taken into consideration to 

 determine the kind and amount of fertilizer 

 needed. Short annual growth indicates lack of 

 nitrogen, as does also small, light-colored foli- 

 age which drops early in the autumn. Lack of 

 color in the fruit may be due to too much nitro- 

 gen in the soil, insufficient sunlight, a result of 



