( I09 ) 



has continued its use. Besides, it is an established fact that 

 the application of potash in reasonable quantities ioiproves 

 citrous fruits in many respects. Oranges and mandarins treat- 

 ed in. this way improve in flavor, appearance and keeping 

 quality. They also become much sweeter and agreeable to 

 the taste ; the rind becomes of a deeper color, thinner, more 

 smooth and better attached to the pulp. The improved keep- 

 ing quality is, however, the most important point. 



I have heard also from the communications in an English 

 Journal* that lemons improve in quality when .soap-water is 

 applied as manure. From these facts, it probably follows that 

 the application of alkali in reasonable quantities improves 

 markedly the quality of citrous fruits. 



The above results have been verified in the Experiment 

 Stations at Okitsu, and similar results have also been arrived 

 at by others. This fact is well known to our growers in 

 citrous centres, who use ashes and other potash manures. . 



Besides, our farmers are accustomed to use salt to date 

 plums as a remedy against the premature dropping oi the 

 fruits. They bury empty salt packages, made of str^w, near 

 the roots or tie the package on the stems. Saline water is 

 said to be often poured around the trees. 



Though accurate experiments have never been made to 

 prove this fact, I can say that the dropping is caused by the 

 rapid growth of the shoots and roots as well as by the want 

 of some nutriments. According to Dr. Yamada, chemist to 

 Fukui Experiment Station, Kaki trees in ofif years are marked- 

 ly poor in phosphoric acid and magnesia, and also deficient in 

 soluble carbohydrates, proteids and amides. Particularly, the 

 amides and magnesia show remarkably low percentage in ofif 

 yeai-s.f From this fact the importance of magnesia salts for 

 the bearing of date plums is clear. Thus, it is necessary to give 

 sucli salts to exhausted trees in off years to improve fruiting in 



* Journal of the R H.S. Vol. Part 1905. 

 ■| Report of the Station, No. i, 1903. 



