CONTENTS ix 



CHAPTER PAGE 



IX. Managing Orchard Soils and Fertilizing the Trees. 



Diagnosing Growth Conditions and Prescribing 

 Treatment 



Operations. 



Managing Orchard Soils 



1. Determining the system of apple-orchard culture 



to use 410 



2. Selecting the implements for soil management . . 426 



3. Determining culture of other tree fruits . . . 430 



Fertilizing the Trees 



1. Deciding whether fertilizers are needed for apple 



trees 432 



2. Deciding which fertilizers are needed .... 432 



3. Deciding how much fertihzer to use and when to 



apply it 434 



4. Applying the fertilizer 436 



5. Determining the cost of applying fertilizers . . 436 



6. Fertihzing other tree fruits 436 



Diagnosing growth conditions and prescribing treatment . 439 

 Community Studies ........... 440 



X. Thinning Fruit 



Operations. 



1. Consider conditions imder which thinning is advisable 443 



2. Consider results that may be expected from thinning . 445 



3. Determining time to thin 448 



4. Thinning apples 448 



5. Thinning peaches 451 



6. Thinning plums 452 



Community Studies 452 



XI. Fruit Exhibits and Judging 

 Operations. 



1. Selecting fruit for exhibit 454 



2. Setting up the exhibit 455 



3. Judging fruit 459 



How to identify varieties of fruit 



465 



