EXPHIRIMUNTS IN ORCHARD CULTURE. I93 



These impressions have been confirmed by the work of suc- 

 ceeding years, particularly as to the effect of the complete 

 fertilizer and the nitrogen. The lack of color upon the fruit 

 from trees receiving an excess of nitrogen is specially noticeable. 



In 1904 a very serious injury to both tree and fruit was appar- 

 ently the result of a too free use of nitrogen, either alone or 

 in the absence of potash. Th^ foliage dropped, the fruit 

 cracked, and much of it dropped, while the remainder was as 

 soft and mealy in October as it should have been the following 

 May. This is referred to in another connection. 



YIELD OF FRUIT — RENOVATED ORCHARD. 



Since the first year of treatment, this orchard has made a good 

 growth and has yielded annual returns of fruit. Not every tree 

 has borne every year, for there is a decided individuality among 

 trees given precisely the same treatment ; but from the record of 

 fruiting given below it is evident that the so-called " off year " 

 in case of the Baldwin is an unnecessary condition, — a condition 

 which the up-to-date orchardist will not permit to exist. 



Without attempting to draw conclusions, at present, there are 

 certain interesting facts brought out by the tables on pages 194 

 and 195. The best general results are seen to follow on plat i, 

 complete fertilizer; but there are notably good individual trees 

 upon the other plats (see figure 10) and among the check trees. 

 Taking at random some of the trees in the orchard, it will be seen 

 that tree 11 in 1903 produced 4.5 barrels of fruit; in 1904, i 

 barrel; in 1905, 2.8 barrels. Tree 25 produced 8.5, 4, and 5.8 

 barrels for the three years respectively. Tree 53 gave 5, 2.7 

 and 3.3 barrels, and so on. On the other hand, tree 43 has a 

 record for the three years of o, .7 and o. Tree 75 is gradually 

 improving, the record for the three years being o, .8 and I 

 barrel, respectively. 



The check trees adjoining plats III and VI are noticeably 

 productive ; which fact may be due to sending their roots across 

 into the adjacent plats. 



Certain of the trees have been indicated as being of specially 

 good type; these are watched from year to year to see if the 

 character is permanent. If so, these trees become specially 

 valuable as a source from which to obtain cions in top-working 

 a young orchard. 



These notes are to be regarded more as a report of progress 

 than as data from which to draw definite conclusions. 



