142 STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



in the manufacture of fertilizers, have made and are making 

 a careful study of the subject, and have done much in dissemi- 

 nating general knowledge of the question and in educating 

 the public. Those who give the matter candid and honest 

 thought should be commended, and while they may be pri- 

 marily promoted by selfish motives in the way of financial 

 gain, yet if they devote any special ability they may possess 

 to a more perfect comprehension of the question they should 

 be regarded as public benefactors. 



FERTILIZING CITRUS TREES.* 



Some four or five years ago I commenced hauling stable 

 manure on the orchard, and on the information of good 

 authority, that the trees would not need fertilizing probably 

 for some years, and that when they did it would be nitrogen, I 

 bought and applied in the fall Chili saltpeter, a small amount 

 per tree, with the evident result that I had more puffy fruit 

 than i ever had before up to that date. I say evident result, 

 as the orange-growers who used it in Los Angeles County had 

 the same experience. 



Four years ago I commenced to apply Woodbridge's Orange 

 Fertilizer. Following this use my oranges improved in color — 

 at least had a higher color — the increased yield making the 

 oranges smaller and more desirable. Last December I sowed 

 twelve pounds of Woodbridge's Orange Fertilizer No. 1 per 

 tree, and cultivated it in. Then in January and Febru- 

 ary last I put in addition upon one section of the orchard 

 fifteen pounds per tree of the West Coast Fertilizer; and on 

 another portion of the orchard fifteen pounds of Bradley's 

 Nursery Stock Fertilizer; and on another portion of the 

 orchard fifteen pounds of pure guano, to test their relative 

 values. From the portion of the orchard where I used West 

 Coast Fertilizer the fruit was the tenderest I ever had; per- 

 haps the word softest would explain the character — and it 

 needed shipment first. My opinion was that it should go 

 under ice; but Chicago said not to ice. When the fruit 

 arrived in the East, then the advice came to ice the cars. 

 After shipping this fruit I commenced on' the section where I 

 had used the Bradley Nursery Stock Fertilizer, and this fruit, 



* Extracts from essay by X. \\ . Blanchard, President of tlie Lemonia 

 Company of Santa Paula, bef(.ire Farmers' Institute, 1897. 



