102 



white and sweet, respond favorably to liberal dressings of potash. 

 That is, while the fertilizers should contain all three elements, certain 

 of the crops, because of their peculiarities of gi'owth, require certain of 

 them in greater relative amounts and in immediately available forms. 



The objoct of the growth, too, whether for the immature produce or 

 for the fully developed plant, is a matter worthy of careful considera- 

 tion. In other words, Shall the fertilizing be of such a character as to 

 stimulate and force an unnatural and artificial growth, or such as 

 assists in the natural development of the plant ? That the specific 

 function of nitrogenous manures is to encourage and even force leaf 

 development is a fact not disputed by the highest authority ; hence 

 their use in stimulating unusual growth is of the greatest importance 

 in growing market^garden crops, in order that the tenderness and suc- 

 culence, which is the measure of quality in most of those products, may 

 be secured. 



Fruit Trees are slow-growing plants and therefore do not need quick- 

 acting fertilizers as a rule. They appropriate plant food very slowly 

 and highly soluble manures, such as nitrate of soda, are liable to be 

 washed out of the soil without being utilized. For this reason the use 

 of nitrate of soda is not advised except where the growth of nursery 

 stock is to be forced or where bearing trees exhibit a lack of luxuri- 

 ance in foliage. The old and still common practice of fertilizing fruit 

 trees every few years with slowly decomp>sing manures, such as barn- 

 yard manure, leather waste, horn refuse, wool waste, leaf mold, tobacco 

 stems, etc., is thus seen to have more or less of a scientific basis. 

 Frequently, however, it is desirable to stimulate the growth and 

 fruitfulness of the trees, and for this purpose more active fertilizing 

 materials than the above are needed. In selecting and mixing the 

 latter the fact that fruits are " potash feeders" should be taken into 

 consideration. 



Probably there is no better fertilizer for fruit tres than a mixture of 

 muriate of potash and ground bone (1 part of the former to 1| parts, 

 of the latter). A good practice is to apply this mixture to clover or 

 some other leguminous crop which is turned under as a green manure, 

 and in addition, where tobacco stems can be obtained cheaply, to apply 

 these about the trees. Wood ashes or cotton-hull ashes may be sub- 

 stituted for muriate of potash if these products can be obtained at 

 reasonable prices. 



The fertilizer requirements of small fruits are similar to those of or- 

 chard fruits, but being as a rule more rapid growers they can utilize 

 to advantage heavier applications of soluble fertilizing materials and 

 do not derive the same benefit as orchard fruits from slowly decompos- 

 ing manures. 



In deciding upon the kind of manure to use the character of the soil 

 must, of course, be taken into account. Crops grown on soils poor in 

 decaving vegetable matter (humus) are as a rule benefited by appli- 

 cations of nitrogenous manures, while those grown upon soils well 

 supplied with this substance are more benefited by phosphates and 

 potash. Upon heavy soils phosphates are likely to be more beneficial 

 than nitrogen, while the reverse is the case on light dry soil. All sandy 

 soils are as a rule deficient in potash, while clayey soils contain this 

 element in larger quantities. 



