The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-10
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED eY FuLroN s. Whit.
FERTILIZERS FOR ORCHARDS.

The season of the year is nearly here
when the planting of fruit trees should
attract the attention of the reader. In
travelling over the country / find many
orchards that have been planted, SEEM
ingly with no knowledge whatever Of
what plant foods, a fruit tree needs and
many trees planted without proper soil
preparation. This fact together with the
great number of inquiries, has led me to
prepare a chapter on this important sub
ieet, In giving this information | have
tried to make it so plain that all fruit
growers who read this paper may be able
to know the needs of their soils and that
they may be able to supply the necessary
plant foods In the most economical man
ner.
I am writing a new book on apple and
peach growing This chapter on fertilizers
will be embodied in this book which when
completed will be mailed free of charge
to all our readers. All that Is necessary
Is to send your name on a postal card.
1t is almost criminal the way fine fruit
trees are treated all over our country.
It is my desire to change some of these
loose methods and place fruit-growing on
higher plane.
Fertilizers are simply plant foods and
1t is just as important for the apple
grower to know what plant foods are
needed for the apple tree in order to en-
able 1t to produce fine fruit as it is for
the farmer who Is in the dairy business
to know what foods a COW should have
In order to enable her to give cream
and butter fat.
Very much depends upon the physical
condition of the soil, as to the amount
and kinds of fertilizers to use. Where
the soil has been well drained and sub
solled as outlined above, plant foods ap-
piled will become more readily available
and give better results, than If they were
used without this previous preparation,
or without any knowledge of when ana
how to use them, or not knowing what
the plant foods contain.
The question of the use of eommereial
fertilizers and the question of spraying
confuse the average farmer, These are
questions of deep study and can never be
fully determined in any other way than
that of actual experience. These general
remarks will be a guide to the grower IN
conducting a line of experiments which
may lead him to know exactly what class
of fertilizers are best adapted for his
soil.
Three elements of plant foods are need
ed in the growing of all fruits and vege-
tables These are nitrogen, phosphoric ACID
and potash. Now the question with the
grower is, from what source may these
plant foods be most cheaply obtained?
of each should be used. Before the
grower should attempt the use of any
commercial fertilizer, he should under
stand that these fertilizers are available
and profitable in proportion to the amount
of organic matter In the soil. Many lands
In the apple growing sections mentioned
here are very deficient in humus and
the required amount of this organic mat
ter should be fully provided and thor
oughly Incorporated into the soil before
using any of the concentrated plant foods.
This humus can be cheaply supplied by
liberal and intelligent use of the large
line of leguminous plants which nature
has so abundantly provided for this pur-
pose. The stock pea, in fact nearly all
the pea and bean family of plants, as
well as vetches and clovers, belong to this
class of legumes. The use of these, to-
gether with a liberal supply of barnyard
manure Will furnish the humus needed.
With a thorough knowledge of the office
of each of the three elements of plant
foods mentioned, and with a knowledge
of which of these soil is deficient in, the
grower will be the better enabled to sup
ply his wants and many in this way meet
the demands of his soil for plant foods
in an economical way.
We will notice here briefly the office of
each of the three elements of plant foods
and the sources from which each may he
most eheaply obtained.