IDEAL FERTILIZERS 39 



to this would be in formulas carrying low content of 

 ammonia, especially in cool weather when bacterial ac- 

 tion is slower, but generally speaking, I would choose 

 two or three sources of ammonia. 



Who knows just how much of these sources should be 

 used to guard against starving periods and waste? Some 

 men in the State can watch their crops and tell from 

 time to time just what plant food they need, and from 

 this experience can order special mixtures suited to their 

 needs, but they are few. Some citrus growers pre- 

 fer to feed their trees "piece meal" as it might be called, 

 a little nitrate of soda now, or perhaps some sulphate 

 of ammonia, some dissolved boneblack or superphosphate 

 later, and at another time some sulphate of potash. 

 Some of the finest of groves are fertilized in this way, 

 but they are not one bit finer than some other groves 

 that never have had anything but straight commercial 

 formulas, and the men have had a great deal of unneces- 

 sary thought and execution. My contention is not at 

 all that no grower knows how to feed his crops, but that 

 only a few have given the matter sufficient attention to 

 get the best results in this way and that these few could 

 turn their time to better use financially. If, as is the 

 case with many, the work is a matter of pleasure, that 

 alters the matter entirely. Besides enjoying himself, 

 such a man adds to the State's assets, for the greater 

 number of the most successful commercial formulas come 

 from just such origin and the one who buys them has 

 the benefit of the other man's work. But I write to the 



