THE ORASGE IN <;ALIF0RNIA — FERTILIZATION. 137 



trees in the famous orange avenue of Sunny Slope. Too much 

 care can not be exercised in the use of carbolic acid. The 

 strength of the commercial acid varies, and it must be diluted 

 to such an extent that the vegetable tissues will not be destroyed 

 bv it." 



FERTILIZATION. 



*''The question of fertilizers for the orange orchard has in 

 some form been almost continuously before the club. What 

 kind of fertilizers are the best, and how and when they should 

 be put on, are questions often asked, but never as yet answered 

 to the satisfaction of all. Careful experiments are being made 

 b}' members of the club, but as yet we have nothing definite to 

 report. However, it is known that the different commercial 

 fertilizers on the market are good, and that freely applied they 

 generally give satisfactory results. But the growers believe 

 that they are too expensive, and that by buying the chemicals 

 and doing their own mixing, or by applying the chemicals in 

 suitable quantity to the soil without mixing, they may reduce 

 the expense almost one half. This method is likely to be 

 adopted by many growers, and that will tend to lower the 

 price of the fertilizers now on the market. 



" There is a growing conviction among our orchardists that 

 stable manure is one of our most valuable fertilizers, when it 

 can be secured at reasonable figures. A member of our club 

 has a small Navel orchard, fifteen years old, a part of which 

 has been fertilized exclusively with stable manure. It has 

 borne regularly, and the fruit has been fully up to the average 

 standard in quality. But it is probably better as a rule to 

 vary the kind of fertilizer applied." 



*From report of J. M. Edmison to Paverside Horticultural Club, 

 February, 1899. 



