out the winter. After the sap awakens, in May, they are removed at their base. Choose amongst the numerous secondary buds one which seems the weakest, keep this intact and remove the others; this operation should be repeated every year.

The object of not pruning the leading branches on trees in process of training, is to obtain weak fruit branches, sometimes even only fruit buds; nevertheless fruit branchlets may develop.

Fruits. Towards the 15th of June, the fruit branchlets of from 10 to 12 inches in length are treated as follows:

I. Those which have attained a thickness of 7 to 8 millimetres and more, are cut back at 8 to 10 millimetres from their point of insertion; cne or more stipular buds develop which can become spurs, or new fruit branchlets.

2. The fruit branchlets which have not attained to the abovementioned thickness, are cut to 3 eyes; one or two false buds may develop, which are cut back to 8 to 10 mm. if these are new fruit branchlets; often they are spurs, in which case they are left intact.

3. The fruit branchlets which develop on the cluster spurs should be cut back to some millimetres in length. On the 15th of July, the second green pruning is done; this consists as before in cutting back to 8 to 10 mm. the fruit branchlets derived from false buds, or stipular buds, and which are 7 to 8 mm. thick. Cut back the weakest to three eyes, or pierce them through with a grafting knife between the 3rd and the 4th leaf.

It would be natural to suppose that the suppression of these buds would cause the spurs to develop into fruit-branchlets and cause a serious perturbation on the growth of the tree. The Commission examined a pear-tree Doyenné d'Alençon from which over 400 buds had been removed on July 15 (second pruning), and found only a few shoots, although the tree was vigorous.

On August 15, a new operation is carried out according to the same system; in September the shoots on the spurs are cut back and also those on the fruit buds, which latter are thus able to profit by all the available sap. In winter the supernumerary fruit buds should be removed.

By this pruning method M. Lorette considers that he obtains more fruit buds than by the ordinary system; the resulting buds are stronger, and contain 17 or even 20 flowers; in the event of frost, the flowers in the centre of the inflorescence protect those of the periphery which are placed below them. Further, this method of pruning requires less time.

The members of the Commission were unanimous in declaring that the trees were very vigorous and were regularly covered with fruit branches from top to bottom, the latter being more numerous and shorter than is usually the case; the number of leaves was consequently larger. Even on the horizontal portions of the branches, above and below alike, fruit or fruit buds were found; no part was bare.

With regard to counter espaliers and non-espaliered forms, the yield was very large and the trees were healthy. The results appeared less satisfactory on espaliers, which bore little fruit.

As M. Lorette himself explained, too many fruits had been left on this year.

The members of the Commission themselves counted: 156 fruits of almost normal size on 7 feet of the branches of Beurré Sterckmans, i. e. about 22 to the foot; on 3 ft. 3 in. of P. Doyenné du Comice, 21 fruits weighing about 100 grammes on August 22; on 3 ft. 3 in. of P. le Lectier, 17 fruits were obtained.

To sum up the Lorette method of pruning seems to give good results, especially in the case of trees in the open; it is more adapted to pear-trees than to apple-trees, and is especially advantageous where the trees are very vigorous; a liberal supply of manure should be given at the same time.

It would be premature to say that the above-mentioned operations are always successful, for all shapes, in all climates, on every soil and with any exposure; it is necessary to experiment, and after some years, when the examples are more numerous, it will be possible to form a definite opinion on the subject.

38 Is it Necessary to Fertilize an Apple Orchard ?

HEDRICK, U. P.: Thirtieth Annual Report of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station (Geneva, Ontario County) For the year 1911, Bulletin No. 339, pp. 262-304+ figs. 5-11 + plates XVII-XX. Albany, 1912.

ID.: A Comparison of tillage and sod mulch in an apple orchard. Twenty-eighth Annual Report of the Board of Control of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station (Geneva, Ontario County) For the year 1909, pp. 435-490+ plates XXV-XXXI. Albany, 1910. ID. Orchard Management. Ib. pp. 526-537.

New York Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 289.

A problem which remains to be solved is that of fertilizing apple orchards. The current recommendations for fertilizers in orchards are of little value, for few experiments have been made which have furnished accurate data. The methods usually practised are almost exclusively based upon fertilizing field and garden crops., but the requirements of the apple-tree cannot be compared to those of herbaceous plants owing to the great difference in the habits of growth of the two kinds of plants. Fertilizing apple trees is also a difficult question, for besides there being variability of plants and environment to contend with, it is necessary to consider the tree and the future crop.

Four Experiments at New York Agricultural Experiment Station.

With the hope of throwing some light on orchard fertilization, the New York Agricultural Experiment Station has undertaken several experiments. In one of these, the effects of potash, acid phosphate and lime were tested; the second was combined with a test of tillage and sod-mulch; the third is now under progress in a continuation of the orchard management test just mentioned; in the fourth, the fertilization of orchards which are not in sod is studied. This last experiment is of double importance. In the first place, it is the only experiment which has been carried on for a sufficiently long period viz. 15 years. Further, as the disturbing influence of the grass has been eliminated, the effect of the fertilizer on the apple trees will be more decisive.

The site and soil of the experiments.

The experiments in question were carried out in an orchard where the soil was a heavy clay loam and had been used for the ordinary rotation of

farm crops.

There were 12 plots, each containing 5 trees and separated by single rows of trees not in the experiment. There were four fertilizer plots in duplicate in the experiment and four check plots; the latter were reduced to three.

The fertilizers used were as follows:

It is noticeable, that since the fertilizers were put on only underneath the branches of the trees, a tremendous excess of each was used. This experiment should therefore show whether excessive fertilization is deleterious to trees or not. The trees used were Rome, top-worked on Ben Davis, the Rome buds all having come from one tree, and the stocks were carefully selected in order to obtain an orchaid as free from individual variation as possible. The trees in the orchard were amply cross-pollinated.

Results of the experiments.

In gaging the value of the different fertilizers, it is necessary to consider the crop, size, colour, flavour, time of maturity, texture of flesh and the keeping quality of the fruit, and also the diameter of the tree, the colour and weight of the foliage and the length and weight of the annual growth of the branches. It may be said that the experiments did not prove the truth of the current opinion of the effect of fertilizers on apple trees: the yield does not seem to have been larger; on the other hand, the size of the fruit had a tendency to increase, while the percentage of culls was a little higher on the check plots. In any case, the colour, flavour, and keeping qualities were not influenced by the fertilizers. The measurements of the diameters of the tree trunks only showed differences due to ordinary causes of variation.

The most noticeable effects were obtained by the application of nitrogenous manures; the leaves were greener and also weighed more and the annual growth of the branches was increased.

Analysis of the soil also showed that the upper twelve inches of the soil at the beginning of this experiment contained sufficient nitrogen to last apple trees bearing twenty bushels of fruit per tree 183 years and enough phosphoric acid and potash to supply them for 295 and 713 years respectively. Thus as the experiments have shown, with these large reserves all

that is necessary is yearly ploughing and thorough cultivation, together with the ploughing under of cover crops.

Commercial fertilizers are therefore little needed, except on sandy and gravelly soils deficient in potash or phosphates and subject to drought, or those of such shallowness or mechanical texture as to limit the rootrange of apple trees, or which are too wet, too dry, or deficient in humus. Some apple orchards may require two of the elements, but few should need a complete fertilizer.

A fruit-grower may assume at once if his trees are vigorous, bearing well and making a fair amount of new wood, that they require no fertilizer. If the trees are not in this condition, attention should be paid first to drainage, tillage and the health of the trees, before having recourse to the use of fertilizers. Before applying the latter on a large scale, it is necessary to carry out a fertilizer experiment.

Plan for a Fruit Grower's Fertilizer Experiment.

The fruit grower may determine by a plan adapted from this experiment, what fertilizers his orchard needs. The trees selected should be of the same variety and age, and the soil as uniform in texture and fertility as is possible. There should be a sufficient number of trees in each plot to offset individuality in the former; five is the minimum number that can be used with any degree of accuracy.

On plot I, use stable manure to supply 50 lbs. of nitrogen to the acre per year. This, on the average, would be about 51⁄2 tons per acre. In an orchard where the trees stand 40 ft. apart, use about 400 lbs. per tree.

On plot 2 use a phosphate fertilizer in sufficient amount to supply 50 lbs. of phosphoric acid per acre per year. A good recommendation is 360 lbs. of 14 per cent. guaranteed acid phosphate per acre, or 13 lbs. of fertilizer per

tree.

On plot 3 apply muriate of potash guaranteed 48 to 52 per cent actual potash. Apply 100 lbs. of potash per acre, which would require 200 lbs. of muriate of potash per acre, or 8 lbs. per tree. Combine with the potash the acid phosphate in the amounts prescribed for plot 2.

On plot 4 use a complete fertilizer consisting of nitrogen as applied in plot I and of phosphoric acid and potash as applied on plot 3. Or for the stable manure substitute 350 lb. per acre (13 lbs. per tree) of dried blood with 9-12 per cent of nitrogen, or 100 lbs. per acre (3 2/3 lbs. per tree) of nitrate of soda. Plot 5 should be a check.

If it is thought desirable to test the influence of lime, duplicate plot 4 with the addition of 25 lbs. cf slaked stone lime per tree.

All things considered, the best time to apply fertilizers is the spring, as soon as the ground can be worked. Spread broadcast about the tree over an area slightly larger than that covered by the branches. In cultivated orchards the commercial fertilizer should be harrowed in and the manure ploughed under. If the results are to be at all conclusive, such an experiment should last for several years. The crop should be weighed or measured at harvest time to determine the relative value of the different treatments.

It is not sufficient to keep count of the marketable fruit from each plot; culls and windfalls should be accounted for.

All plans and preparations for such experimentation can be made in the winter, so that the actual work in the spring need not be great.

39 - Promising New Fruits.

TAYLOR, U. A. and GOULD, H. P. in Yearbook of Agriculture for 1911, pp. 423-438. Washington, 1912.

The following new fruits are described at length, as they are believed to possess a value in the future development of fruit culture, but the Department of Agriculture has no stock of these varieties available for distribution.

1. Cornell Apple. gomery Co., Md.

2. San Jacinto Apple

Denton Co., Tex.

3. Shiawassee Apple Oakland Co., Mich. 4. Ayer Pear

5. Russel Peach

Iowa Co., Iowa.

6. Laire Plum

Co., Kans.

7. Montcelt Plum

grown by T. O. Duvall, Burstonville, Mont

grown by Dr. A. M. Ragland, Pilot Point,

grown by H. C., & M. D. Ward, Pontiac,

grown by O. H. Ayer, Sibby, Douglas Co., Kans. grown by F. O. Harrington, Williamsburg,

grown by E. Bartholomew, Stockton, Rooks

grown by R. Bates, Jackson, Aiken Co. S. C. 8. Panarity Grape -grown at the Cooperative Experiment Vineyard, Fresno Co., Fresno, Cal.

MAIN, F. Considerations sur le Cocotier. — Journal d'Agriculture Tropicale, Year 12, No. 136, pp. 292-298. Paris, Oct. 30, 1912.

In referring to the two works of H. Hamel Smith and of W. Barrett, which draw attention to the economic value of plantations of Coco palms, the writer gives a rapid review of the most recent publications dealing with the cultivation of these trees. (1) He especially examines the disputed questions (for though the cultivation of the coco-palm is a task of extreme simplicity, the different writers are, nevertheless, not of one mind on this subject), and attempts to show the conclusions to which experts are inclining and to specify the figures which are gradually being acœpted.

(1) Abstracts of a number of articles on the economic importance and the technical problems of this cultivation have appeared in this Bulletin: see, amongst others, Nos. 2690, 2691 and 2692 of B. Aug. Sept.-Oct. 1911, and No. 1310. B. Sept. 1912. The last summarizes the most recent researches on the subject. Ed.).