322 ~=©Report oF THE HorTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT OF THE 
elements we commonly supply in fertilizers, he should make use 
of all of them on his experimental plats. There should be a 
sufficient number of trees in each plat to offset individuality in 
the trees. Five trees for each plat is probably the least number 
that can be used with any degree of accuracy. There should be 
six or seven plats. For the average orchard in western New 
York, the following fertilizers might be tried :— 
On Plat 1, use stable manure to supply nitrogen. Manure 
sufficient to supply 50 pounds of nitrogen to the acre per year 
would be a fair amount. On the average, according to analyses 
for our experiments, this would take about 71% tons of well-rotted 
stable manure per acre. In an orchard where the trees stand 40 
feet apart, this amount means about 400 pounds per tree. 
On Plat 2, use a phosphate fertilizer in sufficient amount to 
supply 50 pounds of phosphoric acid per acre per year. A good 
recommendation is, 360 pounds of 14 per ct. guaranteed acid 
phosphate per acre, or 13 pounds of the fertilizer per tree. 
On Plat 3, apply muriate of potash, guaranteed 48 per ct. to 
52 per ct. actual potash. Apply 100 pounds of the potash per 
acre, which would require, of 50 per ct. actual potash, 200 pounds 
of the muriate of potash per acre, or 8 pounds per tree. 
On Plat 4, combine the acid phosphate and the muriate of 
potash in the amounts prescribed for Plats 2 and 3. 
On Plat 5, use a “complete” fertilizer, consisting of nitrogen 
as applied in Plat 1, and of phosphoric acid and potash as applied 
in Plat 3. Or, for the stable manure, substitute dried blood and 
nitrate of soda. The former may be had with a guaranteed 
analysis of from 9 per ct. to 12 per ct.; the latter contains from 
I5 per ct. to 16 per ct. of nitrogen. The following amounts of 
these two substances should be applied: 350 pounds of dried 
blood per acre, or 12.84 pounds per tree; and 100 pounds of 
nitrate of soda per acre, or 3.67 pounds per tree. 
Plat 6 should be a check. It is desirable to have two control 
plats, though, as the number of plats is increased, the work of 
the experiment is greatly increased. 7 
If thought desirable to test the influence. of lime, duplicate 
Plat 5 with the addition of 25 pounds of good stone lime per 
tree, which is to be applied unslaked. 
Some care should be exercised in applying the fertilizers. 
The best time, all things considered, is spring, as soon as the 
ground can be worked. It might be well to apply the fertilizers 
