SOILS, FERTILIZERS AND IRRIGATION 77 



be more useful to take to irrigating first, because in a shortage of moisture 

 fertilizing must be ineffective. However, if there is stable or corral 

 manure available we would get it and top-spread it in advance of the 

 rains and turn it in with the green stuff whenever it is right to plow on 

 that land. This will not only increase the plant food, but will make the 

 cultivation easier and better and prepare the way for profitable use of 

 commercial fertilizers later. 



Excess Ashes and Mottle-Leaf. 



Before my orange trees were planted, two years ago, brush was 

 burned on one corner of the land. The trees planted there show mottling. 

 As a rule the trees look well and are vigorous. Could there be an 

 excess of alkali due to the presence of the wood ashes? If so, how 

 can we correct it? 



Possibly excess of potash caused the trouble. The way to remove 

 the potash is to leach it out with water or in this way distribute 

 it through a greater bulk of soil. If the soil is loose and distributes the 

 water well, simply irrigate generously from time to time. If water 

 stands, however, you must underdrain the spot or you may give the 

 trees something worse than mottled leaf. Unless you burned a large 

 amount of brush in that spot, however, the possible excess of potash 

 would disappear soon, under ordinary irrigation and rainfall. 



Lime, Litmus and Daffodils. 



Will a top dressing of air-slaked lime, sprinkled and cultivated into 

 a bed of daffodils, do any harm to the young roots already started? 

 They have been in but a short time, but I find on testing land with blue 

 litmus paper traces of sourness. 



A good whitening of the surface with air-slaked lime is not dangerous 

 if soon followed by rain or sprinkling. It might not be advisable with 

 some small seeds, but larger seeds do not object and growing plants or 

 bulbs are not injuriously affected. The litmus test is good if one has had 

 experience enough not to attach too much importance to slight colora- 

 tions. If various plants are growing well, the soil is not injuriously acid. 

 The lime, however, if not used in excess, will do no harm and may do 

 good in several ways. 



Carbide Refuse as Lime for Soil. 



Can carbide refuse be used beneficially on vineyard, orchard or 

 alfalfa land? 



The lime in carbide refuse is excellent for soil where lime is needed. 

 If used too fresh it may contain some carbide which might injure the 

 roots if turned under at once, but when the refuse is exposed fully to air 

 and moisture for some time all this carbide passes off and the rest is 

 practically like water or air-slaked lime. 



