Needs of Fruit Trees. 207 
if fruitful, plant-food equal in value to eighty-seven 
dollars more than the wheat. No one would think 
for a moment of trying to raise wheat, even on our 
best New York land, for twenty consecutive years, 
even though the soil was fitted in the best possible 
manner yearly.” 
Respecting the need of fertilizers for orchards, 
Voorhees writes as follows:* “It is argued by many, 
and sometimes by those who should know better, that 
fruit-growing is quite similar to growing trees; that 
the question of soil exhaustion is not a matter of 
very great importance, provided the soil is well culti- 
vated, and that all soils contain sufficient quantities 
of the food elements to insure the relatively small 
available supply required from year to year. 
“Tt is admitted that on soils of good mechanical 
condition, well drained and cultivated, which are 
naturally adapted for fruit as well as other crops, )be- 
cause well supplied with the essential constituents— 
nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash, and _ lime — the 
exhaustion arising from the continuous removal of 
crops will not become apparent for a long time, 
but it should be emphasized that it is only upon 
soils which possess these characteristics that the 
growth of fruit, even poor fruit, can be continued 
for any considerable period without the application of 
manures.” 
“Tt is obvious that such specific results as have 
been obtained concerning the needs of general farm 
*E, B. Voorhees, “Manuring Orchards”, before Mass. Hort. Soc. Mar. 28, 
1896. 
