an additional 200 pounds of Nitrate per acre in the Food for 



Plants 



spring. 



Prof. W. F. Massey writes: "I top-dressed an old l8 9 

 strawberry bed in its fifth year of bearing with 300 

 pounds Nitrate of Soda per acre. I had intended 

 ploughing it up the previous summer as it was in an 

 exhausted condition and foul with white clover and 

 sorrel. 



"The effect was amazing, for this bed of an acre and 

 a quarter, from w T hich I expected almost nothing, gave 

 seven thousand quarts of berries. 



Figs. 



After investigating the requirements of the fig, 

 Professor George E. Colby, of the University of Cali- 

 fornia Experiment Station, says: 



"The fig leads among our fruits in its demand upon the soil 

 for Nitrogen. Thus we find for the southern localities especially, 

 the same necessity of early replacement of Nitrogen in figs and 

 stone fruit as for Orange orchards, and partly for the same reason, 

 viz., that California soils are usually not rich in their natural supply 

 of this substance." 



Nitrate of Soda will furnish the necessary Nitrogen 

 in its most available form, and at less cost than any 

 other material. It will probably be best to use in addi- 

 tion to the Nitrate an equal quantity of bone meal 

 phosphate, say two pounds of each per tree. 



Grapes. 



Grape plantations should be located and planted 

 by an expert, and one, too, who has had experience with 

 the locality selected as the site of the vineyard. The 

 treatment of the young plants is a matter of soil and 

 climate, and for which there are no general rules. When 

 the vines have reached bearing age, however, their 

 fertilization becomes a very important matter. The 

 new wood must be thoroughly matured to bear next 

 year's fruit, and an excess of ammoniate late in the 

 season not only defeats this object, but also lessens the 

 number of fruit buds. Potash and phosphoric acid 

 must be used freely, about 50 pounds of potash and 60 



