Fertilizing the Commercial Apple Orchard 195 



little or no effect on the set of blossoms of the current 

 season. 



It has been found that many failures with potash and 

 phosphorus are due to a deficient nitrogen supply. It is 

 quite a common belief that if fertility is low all the ele- 

 ments of plant-food are needed, when very often the soil 

 is deficient only in one or two elements. Potash and phos- 

 phorus, if not actually required, may tend to check or bal- 

 ance any ill effects of nitrogen. Therefore, it is generally 

 recommended by Stewart that for the average orchard, 

 an application of 500 pounds to the acre of 6-8-5 fertilizer 

 be employed. This means a fertilizer carrying 6 per cent 

 of nitrogen, 8 per cent phosphorus and 5 per cent potash. 

 If commercial fertilizer is not used and stable manure is 

 available, it is recommended that about 8 tons of the latter 

 be applied annually to an acre, especially when the trees 

 indicate the immediate need of fertilizing. Commercial 

 nitrogenous fertilizer, especially nitrate of soda, is quicker 

 in action than manure, and the same is claimed for sul- 

 fate of ammonia. It is generally concluded that in case 

 of young trees stable manure is more satisfactory, as it 

 usually furnishes all deficient elements of plant-food 

 needed for growth. A good system for mature trees, under 

 middle western and eastern conditions, is to apply nitrate 

 of soda, 4 to 8 pounds, acid phosphate, 6 to 8 pounds, and 

 muriate of potash, 2 or 3 pounds to a tree. Of these fertil- 

 izers, nitrogen is the most important and likely to be most 

 needed. 



Nitrate experiments by Lewis. 



The Oregon experiments by Lewis have brought out 

 some additional conclusions with regard to the application 



