The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-01-05

in some form, either a. muck, grass
and weeds well decomposed or by
turning under pea-vines, gras,, DC.
| | have used with satisfactory results,
muriate of potash with muck and
grass .ud prefer it to lin'e as acting
Quicker and putting the compost into
a form to be readily taken upsby the
tree. A considerable amoant oil lime
is found in our soil owing 20 It's ge-
oloaical formation, which is Coral
inc" ard has at some period been coy
cred by the ocean
Here | Will answer the question
asked ut the last meeting of the club,
"What is the best method OF compost
ING cotton seed so as to prepare 1t for
manuring orange trees?" The seeds
contain a considerable amount OF NJ
trogen and phosphoric acid. 1t is a
difficult matter to thoroughly decom-
pose the hard shell of Long Staple
cotton seed. The best that l have
tired il 10 make n bed OF the seed six
inches thick, moisten them with water
and add layer OF acid superphos-
phstc a half inch thlck and alternate
until The heap is as large as you want
it. In this way any ammonia evolved
will be fixed by the Nuiphuric acid in
the Superlhospha,e. Another pianls
10 cumpo>I with murlato OF potash or
hard wood ashes aud cover lie heap
with muck, or the seed may he mixed
with stable manure and cover up.
This compost should he used spariug-
ly about orange trees as 1t is SIrong
manure. Cotton seed should not be
used without being compOsted as
there is danger OF wood lice getting
among it and girdling the trees.
lam TRYING in conjunction with
Forrester's Orange manure, 20 lbs OF
acid phosphate ami 2 lbs OF mArlate
of potashto each orange bearing tree,
and halt the quantity to my younger
treee. make the addition because
the land upon which my grove Is
planted has been exhausted by con-
tinuous cropping and is deficient in
these materials. therefore use them
III larger quantities than would be re-
CURED upon fresh land and young
non productive groves.
To apply manures intelngently and
economically requires that we should
in some measure understand how
plants take up and assinlilate pr re-
iect these substances offered Siem as
food but az al4 euItiyatVrS have-pot
the time or the inclination 10 lnves-
tigatc for themselves, the great mass
of agricultuIls,s must depend upon
the researches OF those who make
vegetable physiology a study. l
must confess that SoBe writers TAIL to
enlighten their readers by refusing TO
use terms that convey definite idea
in regard 10 plant growth. Fer in
stance i'll regard TO vegetable HE, one
objects 10 the term Stimulation,
tina; it tends to produce a wrong or
injurious practice iu the use OF man
ures; that manules do not stimulate
the plant III the sense that We under
stand alcoholic preparations act npon
man, because plants have u" nerves
to be stimulated or acted upon and
when making this structure fail TO
explain how those plants termed sell
sitlve are effected or acted on when
touched, or those plants that close
their leaves at sun set, and open them
again in the morning. Must we say
that they are capable oil being imi-
tated. We have sufficient evidence
10 show that lliey can be impressed,
and reasoning by analogy, conclude
thai II diAeases are produced III tnau
bv tie continued use Of fluh diet,
that the same condition may be pro.
duc,d in plants by supplying them
with large quantities ol manure rich
in nitrogen and cause die back and
tunuoid diseases. Therefore we
should treat our trees nationally and
not tempt or force them 10 appro
pirate more than they really need.
The usual period for orange trees 70
come into hearing LIS between eight
ard ten yeare, and system ol hign
maturing continued alter this period
viii le APT 10 retald their iruiting,
as The tendency Will he To develop
wood and not lruit buds. Therefore
tie proper plan would be 10 gra"u'
ally diminish the quantity OF manure
as Tins period is approached and only
use sufficient 10 keep the tree III
healthy growing conditions.
Having examined in "a curSory
manner the rules that should govern
49, INN. l.i,,.l. -