4 BULLETIN 1406, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



SOIL AND CULTURAL CONDITIONS 



The soil and cultural conditions prevailing in the different 

 orchards in which the test trees were selected may be summarized 

 as follows : 



Rosslyn-, Va. — The orchard at the Arlington Experiment Farm, 

 located across the Potomac River from Washington, D. C, is in 

 grass sod on loam soil. During 1923 no fertilizer was applied. In 

 the spring of 1924, 5 pounds of nitrate of soda and 5 pounds of 

 superphosphate were applied to each tree prior to blossoming. 



Amherst, Mass. — The soil is a stony loam. In 1923 the Bald- 

 win and Delicious trees were in sod, with nitrate fertilizer added. 

 Ben Davis, TTinesap, and Jonathan were given stripped cultiva- 

 tion, with 5 pounds of nitrate to each tree, while the Grimes Golden 

 was under cultivation, receiving no nitrate. In 1921 Baldwin and 

 Grimes Golden were in sod, with nitrate, while Ben Davis, Delicious, 

 Winesap, and Jonathan received stripped cultivation, with nitrate. 



Council Bluffs, Iowa. — The trees are on silt-loam soil in clover 

 sod, which is reseeded every three years, so the orchard is cultivated 

 every third year. Xo fertilizer was applied. 



Wooste?*, Ohio. — This soil is a silt loam. The orchard is in sod 

 mulch and receives nitrate applications in the spring. 



East Lansing, Mich. — Delicious, Jonathan, TTinesap, and Bald- 

 win received cultivation annually until 1920, when clover was sown, 

 and since then have been in clover sod. No fertilizers have been 

 added. Ben Davis has been in sod for many years. 



Ithaca, N. T. — The soil is a heavy loam. The trees are 12 to 14 

 years old and receive cultivation annually, with a weed cover crop. 

 No fertilizers are added. The Baldwin crop was light; the other 

 varieties had an average yield. 



Wenatchee, Wash. — The soil for the Jonathan and Grimes Golden 

 is a fine sandy loam; the Ben Davis and TTinesap trees are growing 

 in loam soil, and Delicious trees in sandy soil. Ben Davis. TTinesap, 

 and Delicious trees received abundant water, but the irrigation of 

 the Jonathan and Grimes Golden trees was somewhat irregular and 

 scanty. All trees were in alfalfa sod. Ben Davis and TTinesap 

 received in addition 3 pounds nitrate of soda per tree. 



WEATHER CONDITIONS 



Table 1 shows detailed mean temperatures and precipitation by 

 months at the different stations, as reported by the United States 

 TTeather Bureau. It is apparent from this summary that there was 

 a very fair distribution of moisture through both years in those 

 regions which depend on natural rainfall. At nearly all stations 

 the mean temperatures for 1923 were somewhat above those for 1924 

 during May, June, July, and September; the mean temperatures 

 in August, 1921, were somewhat above those for 1923. On the 

 whole, the season of 1924 would be characterized as cool through- 

 out all the eastern section of the United States. In the TTenatchee 

 district of TTashington the mean May temperature was about 6° F. 

 above normal for the month: the remainder of the season averaged 

 very close to the mean for that section. 



