The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-12-20
TAE nExr FRurT caoe.


4 might seem very early 10 begin
to think 81 the next fruit crop when
the one of this year has only just been
gathered. Yet il we do not begin to
plan for u in abundant time. We may
not have 50 good crop as We should.
The production Of an abundant crop
IS quite sure 10 leave the trge Or plant
in somewhat exhausted condition
and Fhsre this has been the case this
year ID Is especially important thai
STEPS be taken 70 replenish the fer
tilffy in the soil. Il may seem that it
Ill tine enough to do this IN the spring
ana ia some cases and with some
fertilizers this Is true. but there are
Others with which it is not SO.
While there are as many as thirteen
natural elements that enter into thu
structure of about everything that
grows there are four that seem to be
more easily exhausted from the soil
than the rest. These are nitrogen.
phosphoric acid. potash and lime
They naturally exist In soils In such
varying quantities that Il Us often
yery dffHcult 10 tell what Is or nor
present in abundance and II available
forms In most cases onLZ the actual
1est of applications will tell us what
II needed. But We may be sure that
good manures wisely applied are al
nsoef ncyer snfee
Nitrogen is such a volatile and cas-
lily exhausted manure and sometimes
an injurious one, that IL requires the
most careful and timely application
II all When the trees are pale in
foliage and the growth is feeble. it is
almost a sure indication that it is not
present in the soil in sufficient guam
tlty But fruits are not 40 likely to
need It as the foliage crops In case
they do need it there is no form in
which Il is more economically applied
'tnan as nitrate Of soda Animal ref
luae, such as dried blood also contains
sis Owing to The rapid soIubility 81
these materials. spring Is the prefer
able time to apply them to the soil.
Phosphcric acid plays an important
part in the production Of fruit as X
gives vigor to the tree or vine. 1t
should not be forgotten that It is found
largely In animal bones and from this
we can get it quite cheaply, Phos-
phate rock IS partly composed Of fossil
bones They give the phosphoric
acid UP slowly even when we'll dis
solved and this Is why we should apply
early In the spring or better yet in the
fall This win allow time for the
further decomposition in the soil
and the chemical changes to take
place that are necessary before the
roots can absorb the fertility Five
hundred pounds per acre is good
application
Potash IS perhaps the most import
ant for fruits Of an the manures. It
causes healthfulness and yigoT of tree
or plant and makes the fruit rich and
highly, colored. Wood ashes contains
VT. but the proportions are usually
quite small Muriate Of potash con
taIns fully one-half Of its weight Of
available potash and sulphate Of pot
ssh about the same. Both are excel
lent and cheap forms In which to apply
potash The sooner either OF them are
put 10 or on the soil the more com
lpletely they wilt become prepared for
lthe use of the coming fruit crop. IT II
Is not possible to apply them to the
ground this fall, do it early in the
spring. But above all be sure to do
it, fer in most soils potash will pay
"a good return One hundred pounds
per acre annually " a fair application
III either muriste or sulphate Of pot
ash
{ Lime has a very beneficial effect,
aside from being plant food, in help
ling to dissolve the elements Of fer
nifty III the soil naturally This IS
Especially true Of heavy clay soils. and
where humus is in excess it sweet
ems its acldity About five bushels
Of quick lime per acre is sufficient for
s0me three years.