The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-05-22

This is the title of paper read
before Farmers Club in California
and published in the Citrograph. II
is a subject which interests all grow
ers of citrus fruits in this state as
we'll as California.
While there is much unknown con
corning the determining causes pro
ducing the observed results in this
somewhat compound subject, yet
there are few things which may be
said to be established. 1t is but a
truism to say that to secure the best
setting of fruit the conditions must
be right cultural, climatic and as tc
fertilizers. Yet fair setting may be
obtained when some of these desir-
able conditions alone, but upon a
combination of several While a
heavy cold rain when the trees are
in bloom, or sudden changes in tenn
perature, such as we had last spring
will probably have a disastrous ef-
feet on the crop, and while these are
causes which we cannot control, yet
by having the other conditions favor
able we may in large measure, off,
set the evil effects of adverse climatic
conditions. Act we'll our part, there's
where the profit lies.
And now what are the conditions
which we wish to induce?
We want a strong, vigorous tree, g
we'll ventilated soil, with plenty Of
food readily available at time oil
blooming. At this time there is {
strong demand on the stored fooc
vitality of the tree If anything
occurs to interfere with the free use
of these fruiting elements, the effect
is likely to show up in the crop.
have seen almost total failure If
crop, even where there had been ar
abundant bloom, caused by deer
blowing in the Spring. The destruc-
ton of the feeders checked the sup.
ply of nutriment and nature, ever
careful of the essential at the expense
incidental, threw off the crop anc
saved the tree.
Again, we may Overestlmate the
tree-induce too vigorous growing
condition and SO make wood and lea1
at the expense of the crop. At a
Covina meeting a gentleman asked
why his orchard did not bear; said
the trees were making fine growth
ed heavily, ETC., and yet he had al
most no crop:
Here is a good illustration of over
stimulation. There was an excess Of
it. The heterogeneous fertilizer he was
applying was making the conditions
worse. It was as though man, suf-
fering from dyspepsia should try tc
cure the trouble by a diet Of fat pork
and rich pastry. He should have
withheld N. and applied P2O5 and
K2O to establish balanced condi-
ton in the food supply
Again we see trees bloom heavily
and yet set little or no fruit. The
leaves are off color and rather thin
and weak. Here is the other extreme
The -P2O5 and K2O may be abun-
dant, but the N is not sufficient tc
give vitality for both trees and fruit
and again the fruit is sacrificed
There is one other condition which
think may prevent a crop from set
ting even when we get a strong
bloom By the addition of too much
N in really available form about
blooming time accompanied with
warm growing we might induce such
strong growing condition in the
tree that it will throw the crop al
setting time or soon after, causing
excessive dropping of the young fruit
Hence [ conclude that it is important
not only that the plant food be fairly
abundant, but that the ration be well
balanced.
How shall we know when this con-
d1tlon obtains? What are the signs