Food for bloom. In both cases there was an increase in the 



_Plants foliage growth and a consequent improvement in the 



l8 4 appearance of the trees. No effect on crop production 



could be noticed, though it is possible that treatment 



in successive years may bring such results. 



Pears 



For our observations on pears the writers are in- 

 debted chiefly to Mr. George Reed, of San Jose, who 

 carried out extensive tests in the orchards of the J. Z. 

 & G. H. Anderson Fruit Co. The spraying was done 

 about the 1st of February and the following notes are 

 taken largely from Mr. Reed's observations: 



Clairgeau.— Four rows of about 40 trees each were sprayed 

 with commercial lime-sulphur (33 % Baume) diluted 1 to 9. Ad- 

 joining these were four rows sprayed with lime-sulphur solution 

 diluted 1 to 9 and to which was added Nitrate of Soda at the rate 

 of 1 pound to the gallon of the diluted spray. The rows sprayed 

 with the combined solution of Nitrate of Soda and lime-sulphu ■ 

 came into bloom about a week ahead of those that received the 

 lime-sulphur solution alone. The development of the fruit on 

 these Nitrate-lime-sulphur solution rows continued to show an 

 advancement of about a week throughout half the growing season, 

 and at picking time the fruit was greener and hung on better than 

 that of the plain lime-sulphur-solution rows. Both plats bore a 

 full crop, so there was no opportunity for observing any effect on 

 production. The Clairgeau variety blooms early, and the further 

 advancement due to Nitrate spraying might result in frost injury 

 in some localities. The fruit ordinarily has a habit of dropping 

 off during the latter part of the growing season. This difficulty, 

 however, was largely eliminated on the Nitrate-sprayed rows. 



Comice. — The major portion of the block was sprayed with a 

 plain water solution of Nitrate of Soda at the rate of 1 pound to the 

 gallon. A small portion was sprayed with commercial lime-sulphur 

 solution, diluted 1 to 9, with Nitrate of Soda added at the rate of 

 1 pound to the gallon of diluted spray. Through a misunderstand- 

 ing the men doing the spraying left no check rows in this block, 

 so that crop data could not be obtained. However, Mr. Reed's 

 exact knowledge of the previous production of this block as a 

 whole indicates that the marked increased production this last 

 season was more than probably due to the Nitrate spraying. The 

 Comice is a relatively shy bearer, and a valuable pear commer- 

 cially, so that any increased production that could be obtained by 

 Nitrate spraying would be much appreciated by the grower. One 

 portion of the block that regularly produces less than the remainder 

 gave a good crop this year, and it appeared that the addition of the 

 lime-sulphur solution augmented the effect of the Nitrate of 



