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EXPERIMENT FOR YOURSELVES. 
Chemical analysis of a soil will indicate on broad lings the 
wealth or the poorness of a given soil, but its teachings ar¢ in no 
wise as accurate as those derived from personal observation drawn 
from the result of local experiments. Gvowers can, with Jittle or 
no trouble, find out for themselves the elements that are more 
urgently required by their trees. For this purpose, a row or two 
are set apart, every third tree is manured in some manner or 
other; the trees on each side of it are left unmanured, as jvitnesses 
to show by comparison whether a manured tree cele differs 
from them or not. Some form of nitrogenous manure’ may be 
applied to one or more of the trees in the experimental line; then 
some form of phosphatic manure to one or more others ; then 
again, some form of potassic manure to one or more trees. The 
experiment can further be widened by combining together for 
testing on some fresh trees any two of the manures used singly 
on the first lot of trees, and finally more trees are tested with a 
complete fertiliser, resulting from the combination of the three 
fertilisers used singly, or of any fertilisers containing in’ some 
available form the three elements—nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and 
potash. 
One thing the grower must well penetrate his mind with, that 
crops, like animals, must be generously fed to keep healthy and 
bear abundant crops. Just as the digestive organs of the animal 
assimilate the nourishment of its body, so the assimilating organs 
of plants utilise the food placed within their reach. Like the 
animal also, they require a ‘‘complete ration;’’ that is to say. 
one with no needful element of plant food lacking, and when well 
fed the plant will thrive, produce without effort, and withstand 
and offer no encouragement to the numerous parasitic pests that 
assail our cultivated crops. Spraying and manuring operate con- 
jointly, and well-fed trees, once freed from parasites, remain clean 
without further dressing for a very long time. The varying state 
of health and vigour in even a small 10-acre orchard, when the 
climatic conditions are otherwise alike, point out to variations in 
the constituents of the soil. 
IRRIGATION AND ROOT MANAGEMENT. 
How Puanrs Apsorn WATER. 
Plants, flowers, and fruits are made up mostly of water. 
Analysis shows that there is as much as 90lbs. to 94lbs. of water in 
every 100lbs. of some of the more succulent fruits and vegetables, 
such as asparagus, cabbages, cucumbers, lettuce, melons, rhubarb, 
tomatoes, and strawherries; as much as 8Mlbs. to 85lbs. of water in 
every 100lbs. of such fruit as apples, apricots, grapes, lemons, and 
pears; green fodders contain 60 to 85 per cent. of water according 
