302 PEAR GROWING IN CALIFORNIA 



While theoretically the amount of plant food present- in a soil should 

 be a safe guide, in actual practice it has not always indicated true possi- 

 bilities and many a man has been led astray by soil analysis. Such 

 analysis will show how much food material there is in the soil, but will 

 not show how much is available, and the only test is to plant the trees 

 and note results. Charles B. Lipman states as follows regarding soil 

 analysis :* 



* ' This idea comes down to us from the days of Liebig, who with 

 many others believed that analysis of soils and analysis of plants 

 by prevalent methods would, by giving us a cue to amounts of 

 minerals found in soils and in plants respectively indicate what 

 minerals and in what quantities they should be returned to the soil 

 to maintain fertility. While this kind of an idea appears logical 

 enough, superficially, more careful reflection and numerous experi- 

 ments prove it to be, if not erroneous, at least of little practical 

 value. To be sure, in soils which are totally deficient in plant foods, 

 like the leached sands and peats of the Atlantic coast and elsewhere, 

 chemical analyses indicate in general that fertilizer applications are 

 necessary. But in the large number of soils which do not belong 

 to that class, and especially in those deep soils of this state which 

 are so well supplied with large quantities of the plant food elements, 

 ordinary chemical analysis of soils can not be used as a criterion to 

 fertilizer needs." 



Thus, while it is well to know the proportion of the elements of plant 

 food in a soil, conclusions as to how the trees will grow should not be 

 drawn from this information alone. In cases where there is a marked 

 scarcity of certain of the elements of plant food a soil analysis is some- 

 times valuable in revealing this fact, and in pointing toward a solution 

 by the use of proper fertilizers. 



PREPARATION FOR PLANTING. 



Hastiness in planting trees in an orchard before the land has been 

 rightly prepared has many times been the cause for regret in later 

 years. Run down grain lands that have grown crops of wheat and 

 barley for twenty-five years or more, while they may grow fairly 

 good trees, are not to be compared to virgin or alfalfa soils. There 

 is no better crop to grow on land prior to setting out an orchard than 

 alfalfa, and many fine orchards testifying to this fact may be found 

 in the state. If it is desired to set trees on land that has been in 

 grain for years, or that has been recently cleared of native vegetation, 

 two or three years in alfalfa will greatly improve its condition by 

 the addition of nitrogen and humus, as well as physically, and the 

 trees will respond quickly when planted. As alfalfa will not thrive 

 without more moisture than comes from the normal rainfall in most 

 parts of the state and as even in sections of abundant rains there is 

 liable to be insufficient moisture in the summer time, irrigation is 

 necessary in order that the foregoing plan may be carried out. 



*"Some Common Misconceptions with Respect to Soils and Soil Fertility." The 

 Monthly Bulletin, California State Commission of Horticulture, Vol. IV, Nos. 5 and 6, 

 p. 231. 



84 



