44 



the treatment ordinarily advised for orchards, resulted here in 

 nearly quadrupling the benefit. In plot 3, where the phosphates are 

 omitted, it will also be noted that there is an annual deficit which 

 amounts to nearly 80 bushels per acre. This doubtless indicates 

 that phosphorus is the second limiter and that the yield in plot 3 is 

 l^eing reduced by lack of this element. Potash applications, on 

 the other hand, have been practically of no avail in this experiment. 

 This may be seen by comparing plots 2 and 6. The annual addi- 

 tion of 150 pounds of actual K2O in the latter treatment has resulted 

 in a gain of only 3.7 bushels of apples. 



The above results were obtained without any aid from tillage 

 or cover-crops, the fertilizers being merely sowed over the surface 

 of untilled soil, on which there was a light sod composed chiefly 

 of mixed grasses. Here the question may be raised as to whether 

 equal or superior benefits may not have been obtainable with some 

 form of cultural methods. This question is answered in Table IV. 



Table IV. Cultur \l ^Iethods \xo Fertilizers ox Yields. 

 {Johnston Orchard). 



Plot XIII XII XI (Av.2&6) 



Tillage and 



Treatment Sod Sod-Mulch Cover Crop N-P-Fertilizer 



lb. lb. lb. lb. 



J 908, 1,170 2,265 2,843 2,813 



1909, 17,982 7,455 10,702 27,649 



1910, 2,940 16,789 17,254 11,752 



1911, 3,550 2,629 7,500 34,502 



Totals last 3 yrs., 24,472 26,873 35,456 73,903 



Ratios 100 109.8 144.8 302 



Ratios, 100 131.9 275 



Ratios, 100 208.4 



Average Annual Yield 



per Acre, 3 yr 223.7 bu. 245.7 bu. 324.1 bu. 675.7 bu. 



Average gain per A., 22 bu. 100 bu. 452 bu. 



In this portion of the experiment, which is devoted to cultural 

 methods, the plots are larger and contain 35 trees in each. The 

 yields of plots 2 and 6, from the fertilizer portion, therefore, are 

 raised to their corresponding values for plots of equivalent size. 

 Xo fertilizers were used on the cultural methods plots, until the 

 season just past. They were used then uniformly on all treatments, 

 primarily because the sod plot had gone two years with very little 

 fruit, though all the trees of these plots were plainly in need of 

 something additional. 



In Table IV the sod plot shows a little higher annual yield than 

 the average of the checks in the fertilizer portion, this being due 



