l82 MAIXE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I905. 



focxl which is naturally contained in the soil. It may be added 

 that apple trees are well suited to abstract this natural store of 

 fertility; but there is a limit beyond which the tree cannot go 

 without help. 



In studying the methods of fertilizing orchards, the same 

 general principles will apply as in the management of other farm 

 crops. The essential constituents must be the same ; but unlike 

 ordinar}- farm crops, orchard crops do not give an opportunity 

 for rotation. A certain amount of nitrogen is essential to the 

 xngorous foliage upon which depends the life of the tree. 

 Potash also is important, not only because it constitutes a large 

 part of the ash of fruit trees and more than half of the ash of 

 the fruit itself, but also, as suggested by \'oorhees, because it 

 forms salts with the well kno-vra acids. Lime, as also pointed 

 out by Voorhees, " seems to strengthen the stems and woody 

 portion of the tree, to shorten the period of growth and to hasten 

 the time of ripening. Fruit trees growing on soils rich in lime 

 show a stocky-, sturdy, vigorous growiih, and fruit ripens well ; 

 while those on soils which contain but little lime, particularly the 

 clays, appear to have an extended period of growiii, the result 

 of which is that wood does not mature and the fruit does not 

 ripen properly." * 



Culture and Fertilization. 



In Bulletin 89, Februarv-, 1903, was published an outline of 

 certain experiments relative to the culture and fertilization of 

 orchards, together with such results as had been obtained. The 

 work in question was conducted upon the farm of Mr. Chas. S. 

 Pope, Manchester, Kennebec count}-, Maine. The interest 

 evoked by these experiments, and the practical value of the 

 demonstration of approved methods of treatment, have led to a 

 considerable increase in the scope of the work and to the exten- 

 sion of operations with other growers. As in the past, much 

 credit should be given to 'Mr. Pope for his faithful and heart}^ 

 cooperation. The present report extends and supplements the 

 report in Bulletin 89, and as little repetition is made as is con- 

 sistent with clearness. 



The comparative study of cultivation and mulch as treatment 

 for a young bearing orchard is continued along the lines origin- 



* Trans. Mass. Hon. Soc-'y, 1896. 



