44 



to show that a fruit fertilizer like formula No. 2 or 

 No. 3 in connection with leguminous cover crops has a 

 very beneficial influence. A fertilizer high in potash con- 

 tent or even potash alone where nothing else is required 

 seems to have a decided retarding influence on citrus 

 fruit. This is very important in the West Indies where 

 it is advisable to hold the fruit until the bulk of the 

 Florida and California fruit has been marketed. Of 

 course the flavor and carrying quality is improved also, 

 but this may, as shown in some of the experiments cited, 

 be due to the difference in time of ripening. A fruit 

 when just ripe is of good flavor, but when it is over 

 ripe it becomes stale and doses its good flavor. 



Also a fruit may be just ripe when picked, but if it 

 is mussy when it reaches the market, what is the use ut 

 shipping it. On asking a number of fruit venders "Why 

 do you handle the California Navel when there are other 

 better quality oranges in the market?", The substance of 

 their answers was because it looks good and it keeps. 

 That is the keynote of the marketing problem, it must 

 look good and keep well after reaching the market, and 

 proper fertilizing is the only thing that will accomplish it. 



FERTILIZER FORMULAS 



The following formulas will be found referred to in the 

 text by numbers. 



Formula No. 1 for young trees on light soil : 



3% Nitrogen 

 5% Phosphoric Acid 

 5% Potash. 

 This -can be obtained from reputable fertilizer dealers, 



