Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-06-30
final SESSION
CITRUS SCHOOL
IS Held TODAY
Large Audiences Greeting
Citrus Experts at Meetings
in Hidalgo County Towns.
Much Interest Shown

MERCEDES. Texas, June 3O.-The
final session of the Valley Citru,
Schools which included three days in
Cameron county and three days in Hi
dalgo county are being held this at
ternoon. All the experts, with the ex-
ception of DIR. Ernest Barber Of New
Orleans, are attending.
DONNA. Texas, June, 30.-Dcspite "a
light drizzle which fell Friday and the
threatening clouds which hung over the
town. crowd of nearly 100 packed the
parish house of the Methodist church
at Donna for the second day of the Hi
dalgo county citrus schools. Some grow
ers who had attended the first meeting
ut McAllen came to the meeting at
Donna also. but the majority Of those
present were from the other side of
the county. Because of the danger to
orchards. no field work was held at the
Donna school.
Discuss Fertilizers.
Discussion of fertilizer problems
featured the gathering here with DR..
w. W. Yothers of Orlando, Florida, de-
livering n lecture on the subject and
A. w. Kalbfleisch of Mercedes. a large
grower. reporting to the school his ar-
tual experience with the use of fer
tilizer. He. recommended the use of
several fertilizers. for which he fur
nished formulas.
Some OF the most stubborn soil prob
lens met by the citrus growers in the
Valley were described by Mr.. Kalb-
fleisch. He declared that the great va
Tiety Of soils in the Valley make the
use Of any one kind Of fertilizer n
one-sided affair. Isss than 400 feet
away from one kind Of soil, the speak
er asserted. could be found soil of en-
tirely different composition and which
ss . result reacted differently TO wa
tering and fertilizers.
The experiment station which is to
be erected in the Valley will be one of
the greatest aids In this direction. he
said. With their facilities for analy-
zing soils. they will be able TO recon-
mend to the growers the right kind of
fertilizer to use.
Must Help th- Trees to Grow.
"You'vs got to help the trees to
grow" Mr.. Kalbfleisch emphasized
"Either you're going to let the tree die
in the course of time or else you're
going to increase its production and
quality. II you keep drawing on the
soil and not putting any nourishment
back in the form Of fertilizer. your soil
will soon play out It's just like having
money in bank. II you continue to
draw without putting any money in. il
- hnfn r.
nothing for you to draw on" The nee
essity for the use Of humus because
the fertilizer absolutely will not be
able to accomplish its best work with
out it" was also stressed by the speak
er.
Zone OF the greatest things which
has ever come to the Valley" was the
way Mr.. Kalbfleisch described the cit
rus schools. They mean more to the
growers than lots Of other things which
get more attention. for one. am glad
to have them here and am willing 20
admit that I've learned a great deal at
this school"
Many Subjects Taken Up.
FruitfIics, Argentine ants and plant
scale were discussed in DIR. BARRIERS
address. County agent J. w. kirkpat-
rick opened the meeting with "A few
words Of welcome to the growers. A.
p. Swallow, extension service man.
spoke for short time on the meaning
Of the citrus schools and explained that
for the schools to be continued enough
interest must be shown by the farmers.
That "plants should be given an OPP
portunity to help themselves in re-
sisting disease" was one Of the inn
portant points stressed by DR.. +. W.
Halstead in his lecture on citrus dis
eases at the morning meeting. This
can be done. he explained by "the as
sistance Of judicious. root stock sclec-
tion, varictaI selection, planting. cul-
tivation. fertilization and irrigation,
IN so far as conditions will permit.
The question of environment was
brought up by the speaker who stated
that las the effect Of cnvironmental
conditions. the general health status
and peculiar physical properties that
animals bear towards disease has been
generally recognized, it can be stated
that in the same way a plants environ
ment has much to do with its behavior.
growth and disease resistant powers.
Immediately following his address. Dr.
Barber left for Brownsville. where he
will spend Saturday. lie is To- depart
Saturday afternoon or Sunday morn
ing for New Orleans.
Personal enthusiasm. j. \. Hickman
nresitent of the Lower !sio t.randc
Valley Citrus Growers exchange. told
the meeting, is one of thr most impor-
tspt factors in the production Of good
.uality fruit and consequently in the
building up Of the citrus industry and IN
making the Valley one of the most i'm
portsnt citrus suppliers Of the nation.
with proper care there will y" irs'
trouble in bringing up good orchard
than there is in the raising of cab
bsse CROP" Mr.. Hickman assured hi'
audience.
The extreme importance cf shipping
out only good quality was stressed by
~. speaker. I'm picking" he stated
~the outward appearance of the fruit
he,ins TO be made All pickers should
wear gloves, because the prIcking o'
the fruit skin leads to early decay