The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1849-05-25

THE HoRTIcULTURIsT, has an article on
Special Manures for Fruit Trees, from which we
take the following extract:
For old apple orchards, upon soil deficient in
lime we would recommend top-dressing OF lime
for the first time-oi two hundred bushels to
the acre. This will, usually, il the land is in
good condition, bring the trees in good bearing
condition again. In some soils the effect will be
immediate, and in others it will require one or
two seasons for the lime to produce the required
effects
For middle-szed bearing trees, peck OF air.
slackened lime to each tree is sufficient. II is,
perhaps best applied in the autumn, but ii will
answer very well in the spring. Scatter it ev-
emily the surface of the ground, as far as the
roots extend. 1t may be pIoughed or hoed under
slightly, or left upon the surface, as it will find
its way downwards in the soil.
To keep an apple orchard in the fruitbearing
condition, in a soil not calcareous, and not natur
ally congenial to the tree, it should be dressed
with lime, and with ashes, every alternate au-
tumn manfred every other spring. The same
quantity of spent ashes as OF lime may be used
Tor each tree.
For the pear tree,we prefer the following COM
posts: Take wagon load OF peat, or black,
swamp earth--d dissolve twenty pounds of potash
in water, and water the peat thoroughly with
bit tor use. Or, for the same quantity OF peat,
use one-third of load OF leached wood ashes, Tor
ten bushels of fresh ashes) mixing the whole,
and letting it lie fortnight before using it. Give
each mlddle-sized bearing pear tree bushe of
this compost annually; newly planted young
tree halt peck, and others in this proportion
Ii this compost is applied early in the spring. the
tree may also have top-dressing of bone dust,
which is easily obtained, in the autumn, at the
rate OF halt peck to a tree.t
The same compost, and the same quantities, will
answer admirably for the grape vine. But as
the grape Is a strong feeder, and likes more lime
than the pear,we would give it besides an au-
tumnal coat of lime, at the rate of from fifty to
one hundred bushels to the acre, applied along
with any manure GA compost most easily obtain
ed.
For the plum tree, in light soils, Ohere is no
difficulty in growing it on clay soiD we would
Recommend compost made as follows; To two
wagon loads of strong losm, or yellow clay, add
a bushe OF lime. Mix the whole thoroughly ::
suffering it to be at fortnight. Apply it
as top layer or top dressing to the soil directly
under plum trees, (spreading it overthe surface
as lar as the branches exend) at the rate OF two
bushels to middle-s sized bearing tree, or half
peck TO young, newly planted tree
AS general compost Tor fruit trees, we repeat
that nothing is equal to that formed OF ashes and
peat. These materials easily obtained in all
parts OF the country, and they contain the ele-
ments most essential in the organic and inorganic
structure OF fruit trees Where peat is not at
hand, use wood ashes alone, at the rate of half
bushel of leached ashes furnish only the miner
al or inorganic elements of food the usual supply
oil ordinary manure must not be withheld, unless
the soil is already sufficiently rich.'
sOysteI> shell lime is the best--some others contain
too much mdgnesia-but perhaps only few.
All fruit trees much benefited BY phosphate of
lime, E. bone dus0 hu, the pear especially. Where
bone dust cannot be had bones themselves NAV be dug
in about the roots, and allowed to decompose eradaly'
-Four hihs OF all the bones from the kitchen are thrown
away IN The country these were saved, and put at
the bottom of the holes when planting pear trees thew
would furnish most enduring supply of phosphate to the
roots.