The herald., 1896-12-26

e. L
the question "How?" by saying that it
depends a good deal upon the character
and condition of the fertilizer. If it is
barnyard manure or guano, or any
coarse fertilizer 1t should be plowed un-
der. If it be a chemical fertilizer in a
finely ground condition, would prefer
putting 1t in on moist, well-tilled soil
by the use of fertilizer drill, and put it
down as deep as possible.
When? My idea Of the proper time
to apply fertilizers is about the end Of
January to apply fertilizer rich in
phosphoric acid. and with sufficient
amount of nitrogen to lift the tree out Of
its dormant state, and give it vigorous
start in the spring. This dressing, ac-
cording to my ideas. should have COM
bired in it sufficient amount of potash
to set the fruit and hold it. Then in the
summer I would recommend another
application in a somewhat different
form would in this reduce the guam
tity of nitrogen and increase consider
ably the quantity Of potash. This for
two reasons. / believe this potash would
aid the wood to harden up to prepare it
for winter and that the effect of this
summer application would also be avail
able to the tree the following spring to
hold the next crop. But there is another
office of potash that have scarcely no.
ticed. 1t has an important effect upon
the fieshy portion of the fruit, as you will
remember from the quotations made
earlier in this paper I regard this Of
flee as extremely important from my
own experience. Where I have made
tests with potash 1 have obtained the
very handsomest oranges, and also of
the highest color. You will observe in
the report of the California experiment
station that Professor Hilgard says of
the sample oranges from the potash
plot: This seemingly possessed the
best skin and presented the best appear
ance of any of the lot, and was not as
sour as the previous samples"
What? 1 was asked at Claremont If
would use barnyard manure for
oranges, and I replied that would cer-
tainly do so unless l could get something
better. 1t will increase the quantity of
your crop, but the oranges will be of
very inferior quality. The last report
of the agricultural department (for
1880 contains this:
"Barnyard manure Is not applied to
fruit trees with the same good results
that attend it's use In the case of field
crops, garden truck, etc. 1t does not
stimulate fruiting to the same extent as
do the mineral fertilizers. Its tendency
is to produce large growth, but poor
quality of fruit. Oranges in particular
become coarse, thick-skinned and sour
under it's influence"
There are some of you present that
can corroborate this from your own ex-
perience. On young orange trees it may
answer very we'll. but upon bearing
orange trees I would not recommend 1t.
the trouble with it is that it is too highly
ritrogenous. 1t Is not well-balanced
fertilizer, being very deficient in phos-
phoric acid. For the same reason do
not think we'll of sheep manure.
wi NJ 10
fertilizer will be pretty sure to hit the
mark" though he thinks we might save
expense by giving our soils only that
which an analysis would show that they
need. AS for myself I would like to
save expense, and hope some day to mix
my own fertilizers, but at present do
not feel that 1 know enough about the
subject, and shall therefore tie to a com
plete fertilizer containing the elements
of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash
in proper proportion, and thoroughly
acidulated, believing that by so doing
I can make a good deal more money in
the quantity and quality of fruit pro-
duced than could save by economizing
in the fertilizer used.
CRITICISM BY THE EDITOR
We congratulate Mr.. Palmer on the
above article, and notice with thanks
that he gives the writer Of this article
due credit for teaching him how to as
certain the needs of crop In the matter
of fertilization. by putting the question
to the soil and getting the answer in the
crop. He admits the correctness of ou1
practice.
To boil his lengthy paper down, Mr..
Palmer seems to have established the
following points:
1. Nitrogen used alone makes the
fruit (oranges) coarse and puffy.
oil ,ot6 hall. <<
set the fruit
g. Stable manure made inferior fruit.
4. A well-balanced, complete CONNER
cial fertilizer will give the best results.
s. Test plots are necessary.
The mistakes which Mr.. Palmer points
out that was made in not separating the
different plots was never repeated after
1893. In our practice, since that time
the difficulty has been obviated simply
by leaving a row of trees between each
plot. But, really Mr.. Palmer, as Prof
Hilgard had had about seventeen years
| the start of us In California, it seems as
though he might have taught both you
and me something about the matter in
stead of leaving us, by costly experience,
to master the details.
We must also notice that Mr.. Palmer
although he did not intend to assail the
position of Prof. Hilgard, yet most clear
ly presents the fatal error which the
professor had commended with refer
ence to soil analysis and fertilization.
Mr.. Palmer bucks Prof. Hilgard al
every turn. In the first place Mr.. Palmer
advocates test experiments" and ex-
horts his neighbors to that end, while
Professor Hilgard has belittled the prac-
tice and declared it useless.
Second-Mr. Palmer says "that where
| nitrogen was used alone the fruit was
both coarse and puffy" Suppose Mr.
Palmer had followed Prof. Hilgard's ad-
vice, given on a soil analysis as his ad-
vice appeared in the California Cultiva-
| tor in January 1892 :N"When soil analy-
sis shows the extreme scarcity OF
humus will he (Dr. Wood
bridge) doubt to supply nitrogen will be
the first thing needed? If so, let him
inquire among those to whom I have
on the ground of this analytical indica-
ton." Well! we have asked many
| and have received similar replies to
those given by Mr. Palmer. "our fruit
has been coarse and puffy"
Mr.. Palmer admits that he would have
had coarse and puffy" fruit If he has
followed Prof. Hilgard's advice.
We agree with Mr.. Palmer that "these
eight-year-old trees, large and vigorous,
have been sending out their roots into
adjacent plots and helping themselves
to what they found there"
Last spring the writer called upon MI
Palmer to make arrangements for an
alyzing the fruit from these differ
ent plots. but on reflection decided that
no valuable conclusions could be fur
ther drawn from those plots, for the rea-
sons given above by Mr.. Palmer.