314 
our work have shown any consistent abil- 
ity to improve color or size of fruit. Color 
is doubtless chiefly dependent upon ma- 
turity in sunlight, while average size is 
apparently mainly dependent upon the 
amount of moisture available per indi- 
vidual fruit. 
10. Our present general recommenda- 
tion of fertilizer for apples in this state, 
in amounts per acre, is the following 
combination: 80 pounds of actual nitro- 
gen, 60 to 75 pounds of actual phosphoric 
acid (P.0;), and 50 pounds of actual 
potash (K,0). This may well be supple- 
mented by cover crops, through which all 
the nitrogen may be obtained, and alter- 
nated with stable manure at the rate of 
about 10 tons per acre at least every 
third or fourth year. 
11. Proper moisture conditions are es- 
sential to the securing of best results 
from fertilizers. In most places moisture 
conservation is best accomplished by the 
soil or dust mulch maintained by fre- 
quent tillage. Where tillage is advisable, 
it can also be done very satisfactorily 
with a good mulch of foreign materials, 
such as straw, chaff, leaves, manure or 
dead weeds. 
12. Leguminous crops apparently make 
less draft upon soil moisture than the 
grasses or cereals. This, together with 
their favorable nitrogen relations, makes 
them decidedly preferable to the latter in 
apple orchards, whether used as inter- 
crops, cover crops, or permanent covers 
in connection with a mulch. 
13. Accompanying the fertilization 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
above, a good plan of soil management 
for many situations is tillage with a 
leguminous cover crop while the orchard 
is young, followed by a mixed grass anq 
leguminous sod-mulch when hearing age 
and size is reached. After the bearing 
habit is established, a return to tillage 
at least every second or third year should 
be made, increasing the frequency of til]- 
age with the age of the orchard and the 
demands of the fruit. 
14. Current orchard practice may be 
improved by the owners adopting the 
methods apparently best for their or- 
chards as a whole, and then maintaining 
some parts for experimentally determin- 
ing whether the methods chosen are really 
best for their conditions. 
JOHN P. Stewart, 
The Pennsylvania State College Experiment 
Station. 
Soil Constituents Removed by the Apple 
One of the most natural questions 
which arises when considering the sub- 
ject of fertilizing an orchard is, What soil 
constituents are removed by the apple and 
in what proportions? An answer to this 
question, together with an analysis of the 
particular soil under consideration, will 
give the clue to the fertilizing needs of 
that particular orchard. 
Composition of Fruit 
The general composition, viz., the per- 
centage of water, organic matter and ash 
which make up the whole, and the amount 
of nitrogen, are given for the four vari- 
eties examined in the following tabulated 
form: 
Name or Variety of Apple Water Mestes Ash Nitrogen 
Duchess of Oldenburg. .... 0 ..... 88.61 11.14 25 0382 
Wealthy............0 0.06. 2.04 wee 87.00 12.71 29 0375 
Fameuse.............6.0. 00s 85.22 14.46 32 0512 
Northern Spy.... .........00 2 ween ! 87.08 12.65 27 0445 
AVETage.. 0. eee. e cece ee cee | 86.98 12.74 28 0428 
