The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-06-14
MISCELLANEOUS.
Frum Downings Horiculturist
COMPOSITION OF THE WOOD OF
THE APPLE,-PEAR. AND GRAPE
THE MANURE REQUIRED.

THE MANURE REQUIRED.
According TO Dr.. Emmons's ana lysis. in
100 parts ofihc ashes of the sap wood ofthe
apple tree there are three elements that
greatly preponderalc, as follows: l6 parts
potash, IL parts phosphate of lime, and Is
parts lime. la the bark of this tree there
are parts potash and 81 parts lime.
One hundred parts of the saP-wood of the
pear tree show 90 parts Of phosphate of lime,
and 10 partsnf lime: the bark giving parts
aofphospha,c, 8 parts of potash and 80 parts
Of lime.
oas The ANALYSIS of the common wild grape
vine shows 20 parts Of potash. Is parts of
phosphate of lime. and II paris lime to eve.
~ 100 parts; the bark giving part potash.
S parts phosphate Of lime, anl 80 parts OF
lime.
Now, no intelligent cultivator can exam
inc these results (Which we have thus given
ia The rough to simplify the matter. without
being conscious, at glance, that this large
necessity existing in these fruit trees for pot
ash, phosphate of lime, is not at all provided
by The common system Of manurlng 'r-
chards.
- Hence, in certain spS, where part 0r
al of these elements naturally exist, We sec
both the finest fruit and extraordinary pro-
ductivcneSs in The orchards. In other SOILS.
well suited perhaps tnr many other crops.
orchards languish aud are found unprofia-
bIe.
More than this, DR.. Emmons has point.
ed GU, what is perhaps known to few OF our
readers, that these inorganic substances i"rm.
as il were. the skeleton or bones of all vcec.
tables as thew do more tangbly in animals.
The bones ot animals are lime. in the form
az phosphate and carbonate. and the Trailer
network skeleton oftrunk, leaves and fibres
in plants is formed Of precisely the same
substance.
The bark, the veins and nerres of The
leaves, skin Of fruit, are all E,rmed upon a
frame work nf organized salt Of lime, whlc',
in the growth of the plant. is taken up from
the soil and circulates freely to the outer ex.
tremit:es Of the tree or plant IN all dIrec-
tions.
As these elements, which, we have named
as f,rining SO large part of ashes or plants
are found in animal nanures, the latter are
quito sufficient in soils where they are n"l
naturally deficient. But, ON the other hand
where the stil is wanting in lime, potash,
phosphate of lime. common manures will
not and do not answer the purpose. Ex-
perlence has abundant!y proved the latter
position; and science has al length pointed
o,,t the cause Of the failure.
Tie remedy is simple enough. Lime
potash. and bones (Which latter abound IN
the phosphate are cheap materials, easily
obtained in anv part The country! If they
are not at hand common wood ashes. which
contains all of them, is an easy substitute,
and one which may be used IN much larger
quantities than IS commonly applied, with
the most decided benefit to all fruit trees.
The more scientific cuItivator of fruit Will
not fail, however to observe that there is
very marked difference in the proportion
Of these inorganic matters in the ashes oi the
trees under our notice. Thus, potash and
phosphate of lime enter much more largely
into the composition of the pear than they
do in that of the apple tree; while lime Is
much mpre abundant in the apple than IN
the pear, the ashes ofthe bark of the apple
being more than half lime Potash and lime
are also found to be the predominant cle-
uents of The inorganic structure OF the grape
vine.
Hence potash and bone will be the princi.
pal substances TO nourish the structure OF
tree; and potash for the grape vine. though
each of the others are so highly essential.
Since these salts, of lime penetrate to the
rernotest extremilies of the tree--sInce, ln-
derd, they are the foundation upon which
heavy structure Of all the other parts, must
rest. il appears to US rational deduction that
upon their presence, in sufficient quantity,
must depend largely the general healthy
condition of the leaves Of the fruit.
Hence, il is not unlikely that certain dis
eases of fruit kncwn as the bitter rot in ap-
pIes. the milldew in grapes, and 'cracking"
n pears. known and confined to certain dis
tric,s of the country. may arise from de-
6ciency ofthese inorganic elements in the soil
of those districts. mot overlooking sulpha,e
of iron so marked in its effect on The health
offoIiage.) Careful experiment will deter
mine this, and, if such should prove to be
the case, one Of the greatest obstacles to uni
vcrsal orchard culture will easily be reInov
ed.