Milford chronicle., 1924-10-03
NOW EXPERIMENTING in
ORCHARD FERTILIZATION
Four Orchards In Kent County
Have Been Selected For Test
ing Various Methods.


there is none perhaps of more i'm
pOrtance than the one dealing wit
the various forms of orchard fertil
ity. This fact may be demonstrate,
in practically every orchard in tn,
State as it has been estimated tha
at least eighty-fiYe per cent of thes,
orchards are in need of proper fer
tilization.
In view of these conditions anC
the interest shown by the majority
OF the growers in this section of the
country, efforts are being made bj
the Agricultural Experiment Station
of the University of Delaware to
learn something more definite con-
cerning these problems. Studies OF
the plant food requirements of our
orchard soils and the effect of GER
tain kinds of fertilizers on the
growth of the trees as well as the
degree of fruit set and ripening will
be the chief items for consideration
This work has been started in Kent
county this year for the first time,
and is being conducted under the
direct supervision of the Experiment
Station cooperating with the Kent
County Agent and the local fruit
growers.
These fertilization experiments are
being conducted in the orchards of S.
H. Derby, near Woodside, Frank F.
Bonsall, near Lebanon, Lord Bro
theirs, near Rising Sun, and w. J.
Simpson, near FELTON,, which repre-
sent the various soil types and fer
tilization requirements of the COM
mercial orchards sections of the
county. Although the fertility plots
in each orchard vary some what in
the size of each block, and the
amount of material applied per acre,
the general plan is practically the
same for all four orchards.
Two different experiments are be-
ing conducted in Mr.. Derby's apple
orchard, one dealing with the Yellow
Transparent variety, and the other
with a block of York ImpeTials and
Winesaps. In the Yellow Transpar-
ents, eight plots were selected for /
this experiment and each plot, with |
the exception of the three checks, |
were treated with a different combi-
nation of commercial fertilizer at the
rate of 140 pounds nitrate of soda,
225 pounds acid phosphate, and 81
pounds muriate of potash per acre.
The experiment with the York I'M
perials and Winesaps consists of the
same plan except that only seven
plots were used with but two infer
tilted. The Yellow Transparents are
set 40 feet apart with one tree in the
center of the square, while the Yorks
and Winesaps are set on the 40-foot
square system. Each plot in the
Transparent block comprises one
sixth of an acre, and each plot in
the other varieties equals One-sixth
of an acre.
In Mr.. BonsalTs orchard, near
Lebanon, a similar test is being
made on a block of mixed varieties,
of Winesap, Rome Beauty
and Stayman. The trees in this or :
chard are set 20 feet apart on the :,
square system, and each plot con- \
Jains 20 trees, or approximately one
fifth of an acre. The basic amount of
fertilizer used per acre in this par =
ticular experiment was 250 pounds
of soda, $50 pounds acid +
phosphate, and 100 pounds muriate ,
Of potash. :
The experimental work in the
Yellow Transparent orchard of Mr.. A
Simpson near FELTON, consists of +
eight plots comprising 10 trees each, v
set 20 feet apart on the square sys-
EN-, making each plot about one
eleventh of an acre in size. The basic n
amount Of fertilizer per acre was -
81 pounds nitrate of soda, 264 fl
pounds acid phosphate and 50
POUNDS muriate of potash. N
In the orchard belonging to Lord cI
Brothers, near Rising Sun, Yellow S
have been selected for tC
his fertility project as the trees of
his variety in this particular or cl
hard have not received much fer e1
ilization. The plots were arranged vi
I rows and each row received a diff -
7rent treatment on the acre basis of
SO pounds nitrate of soda, 2S3
ounds acid phosphate, and 65
Ounds muriate of potash, or a to-
II of 486 pounds of material per
ere. These trees were planted 20
,et by 80 feet on the heXagonal sys-
IN, and 10 trees in each row were
sed for the test.
In all of these orchards the gen
al plan Of fertilization is the same
ith few exceptions as to plot ar
lngement to conform to the system
planting and the fertility require ,
ents of the individual orchards.
Owever, in order that the fruit
'owers of the county may get an
ca of how this work is being con-
lcted, the following fertilization
an is given to cover in general the
'oject as it relates to all four or
ards:
Block Check
Block PIX
Block 3-NPK
Block An
Block 5-Check
Block 6-NP
Block INK
Block 8-Check
The orchardists who are interested
soil fertility problems are invited
visit these several plots at any
le and study the results of the
rious treatments. Pronounced
in wood and foliage
)wth were noted on some Of the
)erimental trees this summer
en- an inspection tour was made
the orchards. The real value of