The herald., 1897-01-09
vlrgin soil gave o.o4l per cent av phos-

virgin soil gave 0.O4l per cent av. phos-
acid.
LAS the nitrogen of the humus becomes
available through the action of bacteria
1t is quite likely that loose soil is more
favorable than more compact one. Our
red Riverside sells show fully per cent
more of nitrogen in the humus in groves
the same age of yours, This is why l
suggested that possibly addition of avail
able phosphoric acid might be beneficial
even with the high per cent already in
your soil, altho' believe it is very doubt
full
Were the grove mine l would add to
some of the trees as a test, fertilizer
to give about one-third to one-half a
pound of available phosphoric acid, and
put in to the depth of six inches.
Yours truly. f. A. ZUMBRO."
We have not gone fully into this case
at this time for the want of space. We
may do so later; but we will be glad to
submit the full spondence to any
one of the numerous farmers clubs that
a subtle and deceitful influence is trying
to get to whitewash DR.. Hilgard.
We submit. however. that in the above
article and letters there are all the ele-
ments of a first-cass humbug. and that
the imposition is directly chargeable to
the director of our agricultural college
and experiment stations.
Here is student recently from Berke-
ley advertising that he can analyze your
soil and upon such an analysis tell what
kind and how much fertilizer to apply
Two samples of the same soil were sent
to him from a square foot of earth eigh-
teen inches deep. To one he makes ar
swer, You don't want phosphoric acid;
to the other. You do want phosphoric
acid" but when he is pinned down close
in the latter case he says: Were the
s.,A i l.
trees as a test. fertilizer to give one
third to one-half a pound of availab bic
phosphoric acid" A frank and plain
admission that his soil analysis has not
given the information he has claimed
for it; but that he must put the ques-
ton TO the soil and get the answer in the
crop.
Professor Zumbro also shows how
unreliable are analyses of soils. for of
the three determinations of phosphoric
acid no two agree.
Yet Professor Zumbro has taken his
money for work which he claims he can
do; but which his reports show he cat
not do. 1t is humbug pure and simple
and Prof. Hilgard is responsible for it,
Perhaps President Martin Kellogg and
the regents of the University of Califor-
MIA may wish to retain such a man at
the head of the Agricultural college and
the spending of over $4,000 per annum
but we are quite sure that the people,
when they come to understand the stu
alton. will be less likely to support the
college in the future, under its present
management, than they have been in the
past, as evidenced by the one and half
graduates per annum, few of whom have
stuck to their trade
FARMERS INSTITUTES
During the present week a series of
these Institutes has been in progress at
Elsinore. Riverside and Redlands. The
advantages to the agriculturists of this
section from these meetings will appear
from the subjoined list of subjects to be
considered al Riverside:
Fruits of Farmers Institutes. Frost
protection. Economy in the Use of Fer
tl!izers, Diseases of the Orange Tree.
Home Reading, Technical Education for
Farmers, Olives. Diversity of Produc-
ton, Mediterranean Country with the
Orange and Lemon. Marketing Fruit.
Streets and Their Decorations, Waste
Products.
These subjects. wisely presented at
the hands of experts in the several de-
partments, can not but result in greatly
enlarging the knowledge and profits of
our ranchmen.