present, or a lack of nitrogen. Iron is as essential as 

 nitrogen to green leaves and stems, so yellow foliage 

 may be caused by absence of iron as well as nitrogen. 

 The amount of iron necessary for green foliage is so 

 small, that lack of nitrogen is usually the cause of 

 color in citrus orchards. 



TIME TO APPLY FERTILIZERS. 



In the book of nature we read that growth is 

 dormant for some months preceding the blossom and 

 fruit-setting period. This is naturally the time of 

 most moisture in soils, which, with root acids and 

 fermentation, are rendering available and unavail- 

 able plant foods natural to the soil. So, when the 

 important time of blossom comes, the plants have 

 their greatest store of available plant food to draw 

 upon. Why, then, should not fertilizers be applied 

 long enough before the blossom time to become 

 available ? 



Nitrate of soda requires the least time. Blood 

 requires more time than nitrate, and raw bone more 

 time than blood. Coarse bone, and hoof arid horn 

 meal, are slowest in their action. Acidulated phos- 

 phate acts more quickly than any other form (that 

 is the soluble portion.) Steamed, fine ground bone, 

 used with some ammoniate, is next in order, while 

 fatty, raw bone takes still more time to decompose. 



Many apply a part of the fertilizer in early sum- 

 mer. This is intended to feed the later growth of 



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