Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-03-11
AMONG THE FARMERS.
SPEED rHE PLow."

C9Hespondence on practical Agricultural topic
sonc1ted. Address al communications II
tended for this department % HurY .
HAMhoND. Agricultural Editor Oxford Den
ocrat. Paris. Ne.
"fertilization OF Apple Trees"
(Dr. G. d. woods)
There have been in Maine, conducted
oy the Station two series of orchard fer
tibzation experiments which seem tc
give diametrical results. Also coopera
tive fertilizer experiments have beer
made upon orchards In Psansylvanis
which also give results conflicting with
those obtained by the New York Station
az Geneva. The first series in Maine
conducted on Mr.. Pope's farm at Man
chester resembled both in their character
and results, those which have been made
on number OF orchards by the Penn.
sylvanis Station. The fertilizer studies
made at Highmoor Farm BY the Maine
Station were more nearly analogous to
those made by the New York Station al
Geneva, both in the nature of the expert
msnt and the results obtained.
| Experiments that gave increases In
growth and fruit yields from applica-
tions of fertilizers:
In the first experiment (ip Mr.. Pope's
orchard at Msnchestsr) made BY the
Maine Station, the orchard selected was
on sandy loan with somewhat grav-
| ely subsoil. The trees were set before
1870 in cultivated field which had pre-
viously produced corn, wheat and gen
eral farm crops. After few years the
orchard was used as sheep pasture, the
trees being frequently mulohed while
young. No further attention was given
the trees save an occasional pruning un-
Gil 1898 when the whole orchard received
an application of bone and muriate of
potash. The same summer hogs we're
turned In and they thoroughly stirred
the soil, and started the trees into vigor-
Gus growth. A large crop Of fruit was
produced in 1893 and again in 1895. But
up to the time OF the beginning of the
experiment in 1902 the whole orchard
had received no treatment except spray
ing. That year the orchard was plowed
and kept cultivated and laid ont into an
experiment with six plats on which
regular soil test experiment was con-
Quoted.
The results of this experiment after
five years were summed up by Professor
Munson as follows:
"The effect OF treatment given this
orchard is visible as far as the orchard
can be seen, and from hillside one-half
mile distant the different plats can read
lily be distinguished by reason of differ
ences In color and vigor of foliage. On
those plsts from which nitrogen has
been withheld, there Is now q decided
lack of color and weak growth Indicative
of neglect; while on the plsts receiving
nitrogen, whether alone or in combina-
tion, q vigorous growth and deep green
foliage are evident. On this particular
hillside, nitrogen 10 the one thing lack
ing; potash and phosphorie acid, either
alone or in combination, giving no better
results than are found with the check
trees. The plat receiving all three ele
msnts, however, is decidedly the best In
the lot, although IL there is any differ
snce 10 the soil, this Is the poorest corner
of the orchard.
"Ths work in this orchard has clearly
shown that IL is wholly practicable to
take an old, Improbable, rapidly degen-
Grating apple orchard and, In spite of
three unusually severe winters, at close
intervals, ~ to bring that orchard into
profitable bearing condition; ~ tol
force Baldwin trees, by proper feeding.
to produce fruit every year, instead OF
on alternate years; ~ to produce profit
able crops Of fruit by the aid OF "chemi
cals'' only, in connection with intelli-
gent culture, pruning and spraying. 1t
has further been shown, ~ that upon
the particular soil involved, oil expendi
lures for fertilizers, unless these fertil- /
izers contain some nitrogen, 10 an abso- /
lutte waste of money; (5) that, apparent
ly, the excessive use of nitrogen In the
absence Of potash or phosporic scid, or
both, Is distinctly injurious to the fruit;
and (8) a. corollsry to the other points,
that the best results are obtained from Q
complete, we'll balanced fertilizer, rather
than from an excessive use of any one
element"
Experiments In six bearing orchards
in Pennsy lvsnia by John P. Stewart, the
head of the Department of Experimental
Pomology Of the Pennsylvania Expert
On snt Station are summed up in Bulletin
1853 from which the following are CLEAN
ed:
In the two most responsive orchards, |
nitrogen has been most influential, i'm |
proving both yield and growth. Il has
also shown important benefits In these
res espects in ave of the six experiments. |
rhs addition of phosphorus or potash
TO nitrogen applications has usually Civ |
en- larger returns than nitrogen alone.
Neither phosphorus nor lime when used
alone has shown any important influence
on either yield or growth In apples.
Lime NAV be some indirect value. Pot
ash has materially increased the yields |
in three of the experiments and has
shown some value In increasing the aver |
age size of the fruit.
In a single experiment made by the
Maine Station potash had no effecs either |
ou growth, yield or fruit color.
Experiments that gave no appreciaole
increases In growth and fruit yield from
OF fertilizers:
io experiments carried ont st New
York State Station IL was found that
with their deep clay soils well suited to
apple tree growth and apple bearing,
there Ia no effect from the use OF ferttl- |
izers either upon the growth OF young
trees, the wood growth Of matnred trees,
or in the amount, coloring or size Of the
fruit. To see II anything ike this would
hold with Maine conditions, particularly
with the rather shallow soil and with
the stubborn subsoil upon Highmoor
Farm, an experiment Was begun IN 1slz;
It i 20 be remsmbered that the orchard
had been cultivated and fertilized for
che three preceding years and orougnt
into coed condition and high soil fertil-
ity. About 400 trees were divided into
three plats containing - rows extending
across the large No. I, Ben Davis orchsrd.
Plot A (rows / to Al has received no
fsrtilizsr since 1912. Plot B (rows TO
81 has received annually since 1914 oC9
bounds per acre of fertilizer carrying
1 DER cent of nitrogen, 8 per cent oil
available pbosphoric acid and per cent
of potash. Plot G (rows 9 to l2) mas
received annually since 1912, l.Uo
mounds per acre of . commercial fertilizer
carrying { per cent OF nitrogen, 9 per
csnt Of available phosphorio and per
cent Of potash. The trees are spaced
az feet 6y rs feet and this amount OF