JiXPERTMENTS IN ORCTTARD CULTURE;. I9 



date the trees have done practically., nothing. Since 1892 the 

 orchard has received no treatment, except spraying, until the 

 present year when a portion of it, as indicated in the diagram, 

 was thoroughly tilled and variously fertilized. 



The fertilizers used in 1902 were as follows : 



Plat I — Muriate of potash 75 lbs ; acid rock 75 lbs ; nitrate .of 

 soda 50 fbs. 



Plat 2 — Muriate of potash 75 tbs ; acid rock 75 lbs. 



Plat 3 — Nitrate of soda 50 lbs ; acid rock 75 tbs. 



Plat 4 — Acid rock 75 tbs. 



Plat 5 — Muriate of potash 75 fts. 



Plat 6 — Nitrate of soda 50 tbs. 



Without going into details, it may be said that the effect of 

 culture, on the whole block, was most marked, being very dis- 

 tinctly visible from a hill-side half a mile distant. The foliage 

 of the cultivated trees was large, healthy, dark green, and the 

 trees made a good growth, while the adjacent check trees were 

 of a pale, yellowish-green color, made practically no growth, 

 and are in no condition for producing fruit next year. (Owing 

 to previous conditions very few of the trees, either cultivated or 

 otherwise, bore fruit this year) . 



As might be expected, the plot receiving a complete fertilizer 

 presented the best appearance at the end of the growing season. 

 The use of nitrogen alone increased the growth to a marked 

 degree (though less than the complete fertilizer) but there was 

 a noticeable lack of color in the fruit. Trees on the plot receiv- 

 ing acid rock alone, in general, seemed no better than the check 

 trees which were cultivated but not fertilized. Potash alone, 

 on the other hand, produced a distinct improvement. 



The bud-moth and the leaf-roller made such havoc in many 

 cases that trees not growing rapidly were very severely injured 

 and one lesson from an observation of this orchard is obvious, 

 vis: To insure against damage from the insects mentioned we 

 must feed and cultivate, thus forcing growth after the insects 

 have finished their work. The importance of spraying with 

 Paris green as a preventive measure is not, however, to be over- 

 looked. But in order to be effective, the spraying must be done 

 before the buds unfold, for the bud-moth, and just as soon as 

 leaves appear for the leaf roller. 



