1 86 MANURES FOR FRUIT TREES 



small fruit trees, in order to destroy weeds of all 

 kinds and to prepare a good tUth. It should also 

 be well drained. Attention to these details will 

 insure good healthy bushes. 



These trees are greatly benefited by previously 

 manuring the soU with well-rotted dung, say 20 

 tons to the acre ; if dung is not obtainable, 

 bone-meal, muriate of potash and nitrate of soda 

 should be applied, and fertilisers rich in phosphoric 

 acid and potash may be profitably used. The 

 selection of the special manure that can be most 

 profitably used on any particular soU must be 

 determined by analysis. 



In the United States of America, large fruit 

 growers state that commercial fertilisers render the 

 fruit firmer and of better quahty than when it has 

 been grown with dung ; dung produces a watery 

 fruit, which is prone to become mildewed. A con- 

 siderable gain results, also, from the absence of 

 weed-seeds from artificial fertilisers or special 

 manures, these often proving very troublesome in 

 gardens or orchards enriched with dung. 



Currant and gooseberry bushes require much the 

 same soil and treatment ; both fail in dry or poor 

 soUs, and both thrive in moist clayey or sandy 

 loams. The cultivation must be shallow, as these 

 are surface-rooting bushes. 



