1 Ocr., 1897.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 819 
Orchard Manures. 
By WALTER SCOTT CAMPBELL, 
Department of Agriculture, New South Wales, 
x 
Tux proper and economical use of manures for orchards is by no means the simple 
process it might at first sight appear to the uninitiated, and indeed it is probably by 
no means so thoroughly understood in the Australasian colonies as it is desirable that 
it should be. The older our orchards grow, the more and more necessary it is that 
all who are concerned or interested in fruit-production, should make strong efforts to 
learn the best methods of prolonging and increasing the productive capabilities of the 
orchards, by applying the right kinds of manures at the proper times and in the most 
economical manner. Such knowledge can only be accurately attained by’ carefully 
conducted, exact experiments, but, as far as 1 am aware, no really satistactory and 
conclusive experiments have ever been carried out in any of the Australasian colonies. 
However, if any of the representatives of the various colonies present at the Conference 
to-day may be able to throw any light upon this point, [ trust they will do so in the 
discussion that I hope will follow the reading of my paper. I have every reason to 
think that, in course of time, exhaustive experiments will be made by the Department 
of Agriculture in New South Wales, whereby valuable information on this important 
subject will be gleaned; and this, I need hardly say, will be made available for all. 
In the United States of America some few important experiments have been carried 
out, and to some of these I shall presently refer. x 
I may mention here that many years of observations in orchards, both in New 
South Wales and other colonies, have led me to conclude that the importance of 
taking the proper and careful initiatory steps which should be taken to lead to 
success have, in planting orchards, only too frequently been sadly neglected. The 
soil is indifferently prepared, draining entirely neglected, or the situation has been 
ite unsuitable. In the course of a few years—sometimes a very few—the orchards 
fhil to produce satisfactorily ; some of the trees gradually die away, and innumerable 
insect and fungoid pests take almost entire possession. Many orchards become 
entirely neglected, and these form admirable breeding-grounds and nurseries, whence 
pests of all kinds can quietly and undisturbedly distribute themselves far out wide 
to become curses to the districts in which such orchards are situated. At times 
manuring of some sort is resorted to, and perhaps with partial success for a short 
time, but the mistakes first made when the orchards were formed seem to be seldom 
considered or understood. ; : 
If an orchard be planted on fairly good soil, in a good situation, the land being 
either naturally or artificially well drained, and the necessary cultivation and attention 
be carried on year after year, there will probably be no need of manure until the 
trees have produced several or even numerous crops of fruit. Now, there are 
millions of acres of excellent land in good situations in the Australian colonies where 
the very best of all kinds of fruits can be grown, if orchards be established on 
proper principles, and if those who plant will only confine their operations to areas 
which are sufficiently within their means to cultivate and care for as should be the 
case. It stands to reason that it must be far more satisfactory to produce an amount 
of best quality fruit on one acre, than it would be to produce double the quantity of 
inferior quality on two acres; but this rarely seems to be considered, and itis too 
often the case that great mistakes are made in the making of orchards of such large 
areas that the owners cannot possibly do them justice after planting. Nor will the 
application of manures mend matters, for this, it seems to me, is not infrequently 
thought to be the remedy for all evils. 
ou are all probably aware that manures are classed as general and_ special, and 
that the latter are frequently known as complete or special fertilisers; and you are also 
aware that the particular substances which fruit trees, as well as all other plants, 
need for food in good quantity in the soil, and therefore more likely to be exhausted 
v 
