Food for a number of experiments in applying plant-food ma- 

 ! terials to the foliage in the form of summer sprays, and 

 176 after seeing that certain crude-oil emulsions used as 

 dormant sprays had a marked effect in stimulating an 

 increased vigor of the trees the following spring, it was 

 decided to try the effect of a strong solution of Nitrate 

 of Soda as a winter or dormant spray. Caustic potash 

 (potash lye) was also added for the purpose of giving 

 the spray an insecticide value. The mixture was pre- 

 pared according to the following formula: 



Nitrate of soda 50 pounds 



Caustic potash 7 pounds 



Water 50 gallons 



The experiment was conducted in a Yellow Bell- 

 flower apple orchard owned by Mr. O. D. Stoesser, of 

 Watsonville, Cal. This orchard is situated about 5 

 miles from the ocean shore and is in a district that is 

 more subject to ocean fogs and trade winds than is 

 the main portion of the Pajaro Valley. It is a common 

 characteristic of the numerous orchards of Yellow Bell- 

 flower apples of this particular district that they bloom 

 abundantly, but set only a partial crop. The trees 

 are on a deep sedimentary soil and grow well. 



Seven 12-year-old trees were sprayed on February 

 2, 1912. The application was very thoroughly made, 

 so that all of the small twigs were drenched. About 

 7 gallons of spray solution were applied to each tree. 

 Adjoining this row on one side was a check row of seven 

 trees which received no winter spraying, and on the 

 other side were several rows of seven trees each which 

 received various applications of crude-oil emulsions 

 and soaps. For the purpose of gaining some idea of 

 the effect of Nitrate of Soda used as a fertilizer, 50 

 pounds were applied as a surface dressing to one vig- 

 orous tree selected from the row adjoining the Nitrate- 

 sprayed row. This fertilizer was later plowed in and 

 washed down by the rains. 



Effects on Blossoming and on the Foliage 



Notes taken at the time the trees were coming 

 out in the spring show the folio wing, results: 



