Fertilizers for Apples 137 



records being taken of these factors previously. Lime had 

 no appreciable effect on any of the factors considered. 

 Color of fruit has not been increased by any combination 

 of fertilizers employed." 



On the other hand, opposite results have been secured 

 by the Massachusetts and Pennsylvania Stations. The 

 Massachusetts test had been continued for twenty years 

 or more, when it was reported that "The experiment 

 shows most decisively that apple trees must be fed to 

 grow well and bear well." 



"No one selection of materials," the report declares, "can always 

 be best. The manure in this experiment is apparently furnishing too 

 large a proportion of nitrogen. The combination of bone-meal with 

 low-grade sulfate of potash has produced good results. It seems 

 probable that, especially in soils poor in lime, basic slag-meal might 

 wisely be used in place of the whole or a part of the bone; but should 

 this change be made, a legume should be grown as a cover-crop to 

 furnish nitrogen. Experiments upon a larger scale to test some of the 

 questions raised by the results of this are now in progress. 



"The orchard is divided into five plots, equal in area (about }/i 

 acre). Each plot contains twelve trees, — three each of Gravenstein, 

 Baldwin, Roxbury Russet and Rhode Island Greening. After one 

 year's preparatory cultivation, two-year-old nursery trees were set 

 ih 1890. This orchard produced but Uttle fruit previous to 1900. 

 The location is a hillside with moderate slope. The soil is a strong 

 gravelly loam which naturally produces mostly chestnut and hem- 

 lock. 



"Each plot has been continuously fertilized in the same way since 

 1889. The actual rates per acre are as follows: 



Plot 1. — Barnyard manure (about 3}4 cords) 20,000 



Plot 2.— Wood-ashes 2,000 



Plot 3. — Nothing. 



Plot 4.— Bone-meal 600 



Muriate of potash 200 



Plot 5.— Bone-meal 600 



Low-grade sulfate of potash (sulfate of potash 



magnesia) , , 400 



