THE HEALTH AND ENERGY OF THE TREE 45 



may be true in the sense that apples will grow on such 

 areas and that such plantations are better than fallow 

 land. In fact, many such lands are profitable in orchards. 

 When they do not allow of tillage, easy spraying, and 

 economy in harvesting, however, they cannot compete 

 with level orchards. 



To maintain the health anl energy of the apple-tree, 

 the land should be enriched. This may be accomplished 

 by the application of animal manures, chemical fertilizers, 

 or cover-crops, or preferably by a combination of these 

 means. Not many persons possess sufficient farm man- 

 ures to supply the general crops and the apple-orchard; 

 but every application the orchard receives is all to the 

 good. Five to ten tons of good stable manure to the 

 acre annually is a good addition for an orchard in bear- 

 ing. This may be supplemented by cover-crops and bag 

 fertilizers in years in which the manure is not available. 

 •Experiments are yet inconclusive on the fertilizing of 

 apple-trees, but it is fair to assume that on most lands, 

 particularly on old lands, the addition of chemical ferti- 

 lizer is advantageous. A bearing apple-tree may receive 

 two to eight pounds of nitrate of soda (depending on its 

 size and on soil) applied to the full feeding area of the 

 roots, five to nine pounds of acid phosphate, two or three 

 pounds of muriate of potash; always ask advice. 



The pasturing of orchards is often defensible and 

 sometimes even desirable. If the trees are growing too 

 rapidly, they may be "slowed down" by seeding to grass 

 for a time; and pasturing with hogs, and possibly with 

 sheep, may afford a way of keeping the area in condition 

 and of adding fertilizer. Sheep that do not have access 

 to drinking-water and salt gnaw the trees. Hogs root up 



