9-5! 



in orchards, an<l do not apply manure, are like him who 

 would not only refuse to supply food to the cow tied to the 

 stake, but would remove the grass beneath her feet, and 

 rob her of the dew and refreshing showers 



Nothing for geneial use is equal to stable manure, as it 

 contains in it all the essential elements of plant food, both 

 organic and inorganic ; and it must continue to be, in the 

 future as in the past, the main dependence of the fruit 

 grower. But as orchards aie increasing lapidly, and farm- 

 yard manure is i equired for other crops, we must supplement 

 it by commercial manures or compost. Potash can be 

 supplied in the form of hard wood ashes, and should be 

 used wherever attainable. Phosphoric acid i^ supplied in 

 the form of bone dust and superphosphate, and nitrojion is 

 often attainable in the form of peat or muck. Every 

 summer a compost might be foiaied of muck or black mud, 

 ashes, bone dust, with any waste material about the farm. 

 Build these into a heap, using plenty of fresh slacked lime 

 for each alternate layer ; cover the whole over with ground 

 plaster to arrest the ammonia set free by the lime. In a 

 few months the whole may be turned over, when it will be 

 in a condition to apply to the land. This will form an 

 almost perfect fertilizer for orchards. 



The amount of manure to be given to an orchard must 

 be determined by the annual growth of the shoots. If less 

 than a foot, more vigor must be imparted to them by 

 cultivation and fertilizing; if more than a foot and a half, 

 they are quite thrifty enough. 



Whenever an old orchard loses i^s vigor it should be 

 ploughed up, and receive a liberal top-dressing of lime or 

 bleached ashes. The change that mav be thus wrought can 

 hardly be understood by one who has not witnes.sed the 

 result. 



Ml'LCHING, 



cr covering the ground about a tree with straw, coarse hay, 

 litter, or better still, with leaves from the forest, will often 

 prove beneficial with trees that do not receive thorough 

 cultivation. It is an excellent protection against mid- 

 summer droughts, which often prove destructive to newly 

 transplanted trees, and is a good substitute for mellow 

 cultivation where the latter cannot be given. 



Old orchards, after they are seeded down to grass, should 

 be kept well mulched, especially if the grass is mowed every 

 year for hay It should, however, be removed every fall, 

 as it affords a convenient breeding and hiding place for 

 mice and injurious insects..'} i 



