The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-08-26
FERrILIzINa nRY -.
Tho Moisture Content Of Soil Must Be
Considered.

The problem Of ferulizing dry land
IS not the same as fertilizing moist
land OF land IN the humid regions
where the soil contains a fair supply
Of moisture at all seasons Of the year.
The writer IS informed by Mr.. T. C.
Wallace Of California that in the dry
soils Of California the roots Of the
grape vines are very deep in the soil,
and that, where irrigation is OF is not
practiced. 1t is found to be very dil-
ficult to properly fertilize the vine.
yards and orchards. It is a problem
on which many are working, but it is
doubtful If any have fully solved it,
how TO get the fertilizer that is put
into the surface soil TO decompose and
yield up its plant food for the roots in
the moist layer OF soil far below.
II might be suggested that the irri-
cation water would do the work, but
the irrigation water is not at the top
Of the soil for a long enough period
to accomplish very much 10 this re-
gard. It IS not a question Of dissolv-
Ing what is soluble but seems TO be a
question Of establishing moist me
iiium in the vicinity Of the fertilizer
in which moist medium the soil or
ganisns can work The problem Of
feriilizing grape vines and fruit or
chards Is the greatest because these
do not permit Of the turning over OF
the sell for the purpose of working
fertility into it.
The problem that exists in Califor
MIA all the time exists here In the
Mississippi valley part Of the time. We
have dry seasons In which the eff
fects Of the fertilizers applied to our
vineyards and orchards Is not greatly
felt. The moisture conditions OF the
soil have very large influence on the
decay Of manure For this reason
many Of the purchasers Of fertilizers
complain of not getting results from
the fertilizers. without ever taking In,
to account the fact that the available
| lty of the plant food In the fertilizers
depends on the perfection Of the wa
ter supply.
Land habitually dry is exceedingly
difficult to fertilize, for the reason that
the fertility remains IN the soil with
put being submitted to the agencies
.hat would change It into materials
that the roots Of trees and vines car
use.
In the fertllizing Of orchards and
vineyards. the fertilizer should be got
ten into the soil and should be applied
1t times Of the year when the moisture
supply is likely to be good but is no
over-abundant
If barnyard manure is to be place.
in the surface soil OF an orchard. /
should be gotten in in the fall, be
fore the coming of the fall rains
possible. If 1t is to be applied to th'
surface, it should be put on in tn
winter, that the rains and SHOWS ma,
wash the soluble portions into th
soil.
II the fertilizer is q nignly nitro
gcnous one, like dried blood 1t shoul
be worked into the soil in the sprIn
as early as possible. II it is apple
in the fall. a large part OF the solubl
; plant food will disappear before sprinl
The part Of this that will be most los
. will be the nitrogen. the very ingr'
dent for which the blood Is apple,
/ Yet If it is applied too lste in tn
spring TO get the benefit Of the sprin
? moisture, the nitrogen Is likely TO b
largely dissipated into the air.
Thus. in dry land fertilizing. th
moisture supply must be closely col
sldered, and because It is not closel
considered is the reason that som
n Of our fruit growers do not get ii
S results from their orchards they hay
2 /