78 SALT AND LIME MIXTURE. 
keep the trees in a healthy condition. The ordinary 
method of manuring does not supply the tree lead- 
ing constituents in sufficient quantity to meet the 
requirements of the growing trees. Unless these 
substances are added in some form, the fruit trees 
cannot succeed. 
Barn-yard manure, composted with muck and 
the salt and lime mixture, and thoroughly decom- 
posed, is in a condition to be made available imme- 
diately, and it will give general satisfaction in pro- 
ducing both fruit and wood. This compost can be 
made much more valuable by adding, occasionally, 
small quantities of finely ground bones and wood 
ashes to the heap. Barn-yard manure should always 
be decomposed before it is placed near the roots of 
young trees. At the farm of the late Prof. Mapes, 
the following system of manuring pear trees has 
been adopted. After many years of careful experi- 
ments on an orchard of between three and four 
thousand trees, I am more thoroughly convinced 
that the conclusions arrived at by the lamented Pro- | 
fessor are correct. By practising his method of 
treatment, the most gratifying success has been ob- 
tained,—fine healthy trees and abundant crops. 
The mode adopted is to apply super-phosphate of 
lime, at the rate of from 400 to 600 Ibs. to the acre, 
mixed with twice its bulk of earth, and spread 
