The herald., 1897-02-13

6dIu JcWtlIy 10 vi Il very IIll1l anu DdSly
variety. When the writer set forth in
the public press some six years ago the
proper method of ascertaining how crops
could be nationally and most eco
nomically bettered by the test plot
system, as that system was
and still is used throughout the civil
lied world, which consists in merely
putting the question to the soil and
getting the answer in the crop, Prof.
Hilgard attempted to question the
soundness of the article as applied to
California, and to make it appear that
was not only not up to date, but far be-
hind the age and him, and he ended his
article criticising mine with the follow
ing words: 1T is high time that those
who claim to be agricultural chemists
and to instruct farmers in regard to
their needs should divest themselves of
the prejudices imbibed under the infu-
ences of old world teachings and grapple
with the problems of agriculture in con-
formity with the new conditions pre-
sented to them.
In July, 1886, Prof. Hilgard sent the
following out broadcast over the state.
1t can be found among the rubbish Of his
last voluminous verbiage pile: "On this
subject (phosphoric acid) some highly
important researches somewhat sur
prising but most conclusive in their re-
suits, have, within the last three years,
been made in Germany. 1t has been es-
tablished beyond question that the fa-
vorable effects of even the most finely
ground bone meal, as heretofore observ-
ed are almost wholly due to the animal
matter or nitrogen contained in bones,
and that it's use to supply known def
ciencies of phosphoric acid is wholly un-
profitable and unwarranted by the re-
turns, considered as interest on the in
vestment."
The head of our $40, 900 a year agricul-
tural college evidently has not the brains
to see the contradictory and inconsist-
enlt position in which he has placed HIM
self, but the people have the good COM
mon sense to see that the way in which
he is leading, or at least trying to lead,
them is-to nowhere.
By what sort of reasoning can Prof.
Hilgard, after scoring a method of as
certaining what kind Of plant food to ap-
ply quotes the results SO discovered.
and this, too, in part of the "old world, ="
where climatic and crop conditions are
entirely different from those of Califor-
mia! Had Prof. Hilgard been scien-
tific man and wrapped up in anything
but his own conceit he would have fol-
lowed the advice of the article first above
referred to- and found out the truth
about the agricultural value of bone
meal here In California. He might have
done even less-he might, at least, have
enquired among those who have been
using it right here, and given some fresh
and valuable information to those who
are anxious to know the truth of the
matter. Instead of wishing to find out
the truth and disseminate 1t his bump
for notoriety in the matter of appearing
learned has entirely obscured his use
fulness and, he quotes from Germany.
Californians want the results of work
accomplished here. They pay for such
work and they are en- Itled to it.
AS result of the evil that man in
Hilgard's position can do, will mention
but one instance. A manufactures at
Riverside who has been in the business
of grinding bones for nearly eight years
told me that owing to the last above
quotation his business had been ruined.
THE TRUTH ABOUT BONE MEAL
Pure bone meal from fresh bones con-
tains at least per cent of nitrogen and
90 per cent of phosphoric acid. When
ground fine the nitrogen or some OF it
is Immediately available, likewise the
phosphoric acid. The coarser particles
will come into use later, and so 1t af-
fords steady food for plants as long
as it lasts. Nitrogen in bone is worth
but IL cents per poui1N and phosphoric
acid but cents per pound, or $25 per
ton. While phosphoric acid in super
phosphate Is worth about 1-3 cents per
pound; nitrogen in blood Is worth Is
cents per pound, and nitrogen in nitrate
of soda is worth 16 cents per pound, and
in nitrate Of ammonia is worth % cents
per pound. OF course the rancher
wishes to use those forms of plant food
that will yield him the best results
make the greatest return on his invest
ment. On quick growing crops, such as
garden truck and grain, the most solu-
BILE forms of nitrogen and phosphoric
acid must be used; but on all forms
of vegetable life that are growing every
day in the year, such as citrus trees,
the olive, pampas grass, etc., nitrogen
and phosphoric acid from the cheaper
organic forms of bone and tankage, es-
pecially on trees that are regularly and
systematically fed, will bring about the
same results, as can be seen by those
who desire to look on the orchards that
have been SO fed.
1t will be seen from the above quo
tations and reasoning that Prof. Hill
CARDS jewelry is of the most brassy
kind that would make even Polack from
Baxter street green with envy.
Arizona Is Up to Date
The following letter is published for
the purpose of showing how alive our
sister state is to her interests. That
there is need for fertilizer law in Cali
fornia will be seen by the frauds that
have been perpetrated on the unsus-
pecting ranchers, as will be published In
subsequent issues of the Herald:
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA,
Agricultural Experiment Staten.
Tucson, Ariz., Feb. 4, 1897.
To the Editor of the Los Angeles Herald.
Los Angeles. Cal.-Dear Sir: Have you a
copy Of the bill which you have been en-
deavoring to get passed by the California
legislature? If so, will you kindly send me a
copy of 1t, as I wish to have a bill intro
duced In the Arizona legislature respect
ing the sale of feltilizers in this territory?
Thanking you, I am very respectfully
WILLIAM HOWE DEvoL.
Director.