Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-06-25
Orchard Treatment.

From the Farmers Review: Old
orchards. four times out OF Ave,
means nothing more nor less than
neglected orchards. for trees OF the
fruit-bearing class grow old rapidly
when ill-treated. The first point to
consider is the common custom of
treating fruit-bearing trees as II they
were ordinary forest trees, without
any needs in the line of soil cultiva-
ton. There are many reasons why
orchards should be cultivated quite
the same as annual crops. The soil
needs opening up, that air and sun
shine may penetrate to some depth.
also weeds and grass use water need.
ed by the trees, to say nothing of the
FERTILIZER they consume. Perhaps the
most important point In this connec-
ton is the very matter of water
consumption. A soil thoroughly brok-
en- up by tillage holds water like
sponge, and will draw 1t from great
depths; now, II kept free OF weeds,
and the top two or three inches is
kept thoroughly pulverized by means
OF fine-toothed harrow, an earth
mulch Is obtained which is every bit
as good as a mulch of chopped straw
or grass clippings. 1t prevents the
soil water from loss from surface
evaporation, and as the trees are con.
tinually using the water within reach
OF its roots from every direction
about the tree there Is flow through
the soil towards these roots, but for
the earth mulch, this flow would be
towards the surface, where the winds
would carry it off. 1t is not alone
the loss of water to be guarded
against. This soil water carries in
solution more or less plant food, and
when it is drawn to the tree by,
means of what might be called root
suction, the fertilizer goes with it. II
the water is lost by surface evapora-
ton, this plant food does not reach
the tree. 1t is important to note, how
ever, that a bare soil must be kept
pulverized on the surface. II it is
allowed to bake and form a crust,
surface loss of water commences at
once. In short, the orchard, II 1t is
expected to do good work, must be
cultivated quite as thoroughly as a
field of corn. ~. ....
The question of plant foods for
orchards has. been neglected fully as
much as tillage, though for less
cause, as we all know now that plants
must be fed regularly to make useful
growth. Annual crops remove plant
food ingredients from the soil we all
admit, but many of us do not regard
fruit trees in the same light. Trees
make more or less annual growth,
both above and below the ground,
also the leaves and blossoms form a
very respectable weight of material,
all of which Is comparatively very
rich in potash and phosphates. To
these must be added the fruit crop,
which also needs a very considerable
amount of plant food The fruit is
what we want, and it is the fruit
which takes its supply of plant food
last. Between the new wood and root
growth, blossoms and leaves, and the
crop of fruit, the yearly needs of an
orchard in plant food is every bit as
large, If not larger, than grain crops
OF the more exhausting kind. There.
fore, ii an annual grain crop needs
plant food. it Is just as certain that
orchards on the same soil also need
manuring. There is, however, diff
ference in the plant food needs of a
grain crop and fruit crop. To grow
fruit also crop of leaves and wood
in the shape of branches, roots, etc.
Now, leaves are rich in potash and
phosphates; the wood, ETC., is higher
in potash than in phosphates, and the
fruit shows many pounds of potash
to every pound of phosphoric acid.
The natural conclusion is, therefore
that fruit manuring Is largely
matter of mineral manures,
and phosphates.
We have now shown that plant
food should be used, the next point
is how much and what kind. Manures
rich in ammonia (nitrogen) may be
all right for grain, but they will not
do for fruit,-make too much leaf
and green wood growth. The plant it.
self suggests potash and phosphates.
Phospnates may be obtained as or
binary acid phosphate, bone meal or
bone tankage; potash as German pot
ash salts, such as kainit or muriate.
Do not trust too much to fertilizer of
high sounding name only. With us
bone and tankage products are cheap,
and mixed fertilizer Is apt to con-
tain ammonia and phosphorus. but
very little potash. There is not any
potash to speak of in bone or tank.
age. Look at the analysis, and see
that the potash (actual potash) is
at least as high as the phosphoric
acid. If it is not possible to get
fertilizer satisfactory, use per acre
three parts of bone meal to one part
of muriate of potash, and use it every