46 
should be used. This will also give good results, convincing 
enough to any planter who will note the luxuriant growth 
and healthy state of his trees. On the other hand, if he 
should use a fertilizer containing much potash and but 
little nitrogen at that time the planter might not obtain 
that result and he would gain a wrong impression of ferttl- 
izers because of having used the wrong material. 
Nitrogen is conducive to wood and leaf growth, while pot- 
ash matures the tissues and is conducive to fruit formation, 
On old trees usually the first thing is to start new growth, 
hence the nitrogen to begin with. If however, this is fol- 
lowed up with nitrogen without potash the result may be 
quite different. The luxuriant growth started by nitrogen 
will enable the tree to take up some of the insoluble potash 
in the soil but seldom enough for hardening up the wood 
and setting a large crop of fruit, therefore the second at- 
tempt of fertilizing would not be as satisfactory as the 
first. Fertilizing is indeed a science and the man who masters 
it on his plantation will not have to worry over canker and 
all the various diseases so frequently discussed. 
The nitrogen may in old plantations be supplied from 
Nitrate of Soda, Sulphate of Ammonia, Slaughterhouse 
Products or lime nitrogen. However, where the plantation 
is shaded with some leguminous tree, like the Immortel 
or Madre de Cacao, less nitrogen will be needed. In new 
plantations where cover crops can be grown, most of the 
nitrogen can be obtained in this way. 
Phosphoric Acid is usually obtained in the West Indies 
from Acid Phosphate and Basic Slag. Either may be used 
but the slag is much preferable on land inclined to be acid 
because of the large amount of lime it contains. The Double 
Acid Phosphate is a desirable form where transportation is 
an object as it contains over 40% phosphoric acid. 
