The herald., 1896-10-03

agreement has been obtained are those
of the total unsoluble matter, the am
monia precipitated and the nitrogen.
. The discrepancies occur even in
those determinations in which good
concordance was naturally to be ex-
pected."
IAN inspection of the table of averages
will show that the range of variation,
while much too great in both methods
is distinctly greater in the Hilgard than
in the provisional method, notwith-
standing the fact that we are considering
more reports by the latter method than
by the former. Lack of familiarity with
the Hilgard method can hardly be the
cause of this, as some y the largest
variations are found in the reports Of
those who should be most familiar with
the method.
On page so the report says: 1.-THE
very startling variations ara the
amounts Of phosphoric acid reported by
different chemists are in the nature of
a surprise. 1t is hardly to be supposed
that they are due to differences in the
digestion, as it is to be supposed that
the soil solutions obtained by different
observers were fairly uniform in their
content Of phosphoric acid, the discrep-
ancieS must be due to defects in the
method of determination. At
of working out methods for determining
the availability Of plant food in the SOIL"
1.-THE methods for what may be called
the total resources of a soil need per-
fecting, but we need, also, methods by
which results corresponding to the known
results Of field experiments may be OBJ
1T is very evident to all who have
done work in soil analysis that our pres
ent methods, and especially the older
ones, consume entirely too much time
for practical purposes, and unless they
can be very materially shortened, soil
analysis must remain of minor import
ance."
1t was my intention to quote many
other such statements from the agri-
cultural reports, but the limited time
and space at my disposal hurries me on
to Prof. Wiley's comments on the same
subject. He says, on page 65 of his
Principles and Practice of Agricultural
Analysis: "The physical and chemical
processes, and are entirely too costly
to be applied to samples which repre-
sent nothing put themselves"
Here is evidence sufficient to con-
vince any candid mind that soil analy-
sis Is still in the first stages of develop
ment, and lacks all the qualifications
necessary to make it a reliable criterion
in determining the proper treatment to
get the best results from any crop. The
pioneers In this work are yet cropping
in the dark, and have not been informed
from the report of the association for
1888 that the dawn is approaching.
sEMI-TROPIC FRUITS.
(By l. H. Cammack, Whittier.)
The papaw, or melon papaw (Carica
papaya), has grown very thriftily for
me and fruited freely. Though dioeci-
GUS, one of my staminate trees bore
several fine fruits, but on long, pendu-
lous stems, quite distinct from the fe-
male, or pistillate plant, which set
great numbers of magnificent speci-
mems, some Of which may be seen at the
cnamper OF commerce, Los Angeles.
My trees set fruit intheir second year.
ripening now in their third year. The
plants, owing to their third tropical
growth, the beautiful markings of the
trunk and the enormous fig-like leaves,
are most striking object among a va
rlety of unusual plants. 1 find it
pleasant fruit, to be eaten with salt,
like musk melon. A gentleman from
India was much interested in my trees,
remarking that he regarded the fruit
as one of the most desirable he had
round in this country. Another trav-
eler from the Sandwich islands spoke
OF its repute there because of it's pept;c
qualities, citing a case of a lady -.;io
freely -
The green fruit is said to be sometimes
USED as we use the turnip, the buds as
sweetmeats and the ripe fruit eaten as
a musk melon, which it resembles in
size, color and taste The juice of the
unrlpe fruit is said to be powerful YER
mifuge, while the milky juice of the
leaves and stems has wide reputation
as being able to make tough beef tender
lar fop"
The plant is propagated from the small
SEEDS and the young plants must be
handled with care, the roots being easy
to bruise and then rotting away. If the
plant is protected by barrel the first
winter, it will afterwards go through
some frost unscathed. Those living in
protected localities will find much pleas
ure in growing this plant of beauty and
merit.
I do not like to close this article with
out referring to one other easily grown,
and to my taste, quite meritorious fruit
that does not receive as yet the place it
certainly deserves. 1 refer to the tree
tomato, (Cyphomandra betacea.) The
vigor of this plant, its luxuriant growth
the exquisite perfume OK it's potato-like
blossoms, the interesting habit of growth
with fruits green, purple, and orange
color in their stages of DEVELOPMENT.
mako is of sufficient interest to give 1t
recognition and place even If the fruit
is tardily appreciated. The cooked fruit
is distinct enough, and pleasant enough,
in place between apricot and tomato, to
give it permanent demand. 1t makes
fine jelly, the fairest ever saw. The
fruit, ripening from August to. February
is easily and safely handled and can be
shipped safely across the continent. The
plant produces it's egg-shape fruit the
second season and they may be used
like tomatoes or apricots. They may be
eaten ripe from the tree and often find
myself demolishing them that way.
LEMON CURING
(Read at the late Farmers institute
at Ell Cajon by r. C. Allen, manager of
the Sweetwater Fruit company on
Lemon Curing. In part he said:)
What is curing-I think the use of the
term curing" thereby meaning to hold
lemons in storage for an indefinite time
until market conditions are suitable, has
tended towards confusion of ideas. It
seems to imply processing" which
once performed renders the lemon capa-
BILE of being kept as long as wished
without special care-very much as
dried fruit is kept. Curing lemons simply
amounts to coloring and ripening the
fruit under such conditions Of tampera-
ture and humidity as Will give the