QUESTION DRAWER. 



255 



Whale Oil Soap as a Fertilizer. 



Central Experimental Farm, 

 Ottawa, May 14, 1900. 

 1 158. Siz, — I have been asked to reply to the 

 following question through the columns of the 

 Canadian Horticulturist : " Can the whale oil 

 soap used in spraying for San Jose scale benefit 

 the tree in any other way than as an insecticide ? 

 Many orchardists state definitely that there is a 

 marked eflect upon the vigor of the tree, as 

 shown by the color of the foliage and the im- 

 proved appearance of the fruit, that can scarcely 

 be attributed solely to the insecticidal properties 

 of the soap." 



Whale oil soap properly and honestly 

 made will contain from 9 to 1 2 per cent, 

 potash. This element, as is well known, is 

 a valuable and important constituent of 

 plant food, and especially so for fruit trees. 

 It invigorates the vegetative growth and 

 tends to the production of fruit with high 

 flavor and good appearance. 



It is not at all probable that there is any 

 absorption of the potash from the soap 

 spray through the bark or leaves, as some 

 suppose ; the potash, in common with other 

 mineral foods, must be absorbed from the 

 soil through the roots. If the potash in 

 the soap is to act as a food to the tree it 

 must follow the same course. It is not 

 difficult to understand how this may readily 

 take place, for sooner or later — probably 

 within two or three weeks after spraying — 

 the rains have washed off the soap and it 

 has been received and absorbed by the soil 

 in the immediate neighborhood of the roots. 

 There it is gradually converted into com- 

 pounds assimilable by plants. 



We may now ask : Is there sufficient 

 potash in the soap solution sprayed on the 

 tree to make its value as a fertilizer worth 

 considering ? In making the solution for 

 the San Jose scale, two pounds of soap 

 are used per gallon, and probably two 

 gallons will be required for a well grown, 

 mature tree. Let us suppose there are 35 

 trees per acre. A simple calculation on the 

 basis of 10 per cent, potash in the soap will 

 show that the soil of each acre of orchard 

 so sprayed receives 14 pounds of potash, 



subsequently set free as plant food. This, 

 though not a heavy application, would, in 

 my opinion, be quite sufficient on many soils 

 to produce a marked improvement. The 

 usual dressing of the fertilizer, muriate of 

 potash, is 100 lbs. per acre, equivalent to 

 an application of 50 lbs. actual potash. 

 Spraying with whale oil soap, therefore, it 

 is seen, furnishes an amount of potash 

 somewhat greater than one-fourth of that 

 supplied when using the above named ferti- 

 lizer in ordinary dressings. 



Frank T. Shutt, C. E. F., Ottawa. 



Violets Not Blooming. 



1159. Sir, — Will you kindl)- tell me through 

 your paper why a bed of " Maria Theresa " \-iolets 

 that I had planted last autumn in a cold frame 

 have not flowered this spring ? The plants are 

 perfectly healthy, but no sign of bloom. Aspect 

 southern, and well sheltered. 



Toronto. Florence W. Wadsworth. 



The violets mentioned had not time, after 

 being transplanted last autumn, to make and 

 mature the growth necessary to produce flowers 

 this spring. Allow them to grow on now un- 

 disturbed, as their healthy condition gives 

 promise of a good supply of bloom next season. 

 A south aspect is a very trying one for violets 

 during July and August ; partial shade, by 

 placing over them some laths or slats of wood 

 an inch or two apart, so as to break the direct 

 rays of the sun and not exclude air and sun- 

 shine altogether, would be benefioial to them 

 during the very hot weather. Give water lib- 

 erally during summer. VVhen necessary, violets 

 should be transplanted as soon as the flowering 

 season is over. W. Hunt, Hamilton. 



The Apple Box vs. the Apple Barrel. 



Sir, — I enclose a cutting taken from the Bridge- 

 town Monitor of the i8th inst.. which may be of 

 interest to you, and I should like to read your 

 comments upon it in the next issue of The Horti- 

 culturist. The subject is a very important one, 

 and if the facts are as stated by Mr. Baker, the 

 sooner his suggestion is acted upon the better it 

 will be for all concerned. The figpires he quotes 

 may be open to question, and I have seen it stated 

 by dealers on the other side that for general use 

 the barrel was the best package to use. What is 

 your experience ? Yours truly, 



Annapolis, N. S. E. D. Arnaud. 



