16S 



THIRTY-FOURTH FRCIT-GROWERS ' CONVENTION. 



One of the important questions to be studied is the maximum quantity 

 of fertilizers per acre that we m-dv profitably use. Another is the most 

 favorable time of year for applyinj^- the different forms of fertilizing 

 materials. Another is the problem of influencing- quality of crop by 

 means of fertilization. 



INTENSIVE CULTURE. 



We have been considering the question of maintaining the fertility 

 of the soil. Let us go a step farther. What is the chief object the 

 orchardist has in view? Is it not to produce large crops of fruit of 

 the finest and best quality? Does not this imply intensive culture? 

 We might grow large and healthy trees, of ordinary productiveness, 

 b.y simply maintaining the original fertility of the soil, but to cause 

 these trees to produce yearly crops of fruit which shall be of maximum 

 quantity, and of the best quality, may involve far more generous fer- 

 tilization than we have ever practiced in California. 



There is nothing alarming about this. In Florida experiments have 

 been made of increasing the applications of commercial fertilizers for 

 bearing orange trees year by year, and it is claimed that up to eighty 

 pounds of commercial fertilizer to the tree was used with ever increas- 

 ing profit. 



And can we not influence qualit}^ of crop by means of fertilization? 

 Proper and improper pruning will influence quality; proper and 

 improper irrigation will influence quality; and so I think we may 

 confidently believe that we may improve the quality of our fruit by 

 fertilization. Not, indeed, by the use of any nostrums, nor secret 

 formulas, but in a purely scientific way. Science has not exhausted 

 herself. Science as applied to horticulture is only in its infancy, and 

 its possibilities are beyond our ken. 



As production increases, the question of profitable fruit raising may 

 become more and more serious, but of one thing we may be certain — 

 there will always be a demand for the best fruit. ''There will always 

 be room at the top." Our conditions for successful fruit culture are 

 of the very best. We live in the best country under the sun : we have 

 the best climate under the sun ; we have the best people under the sun ; 

 and we shall fall short of our high privilege if we fail to produce the 

 best fruit under the sun. 



PRESIDENT JEFFREY. We will now have discussion by Prof. 

 Ralph E. Smith, of the Southern California Pathological Station, at 

 Whittier. 



PROFESSOR SMITH. Mr. Palmer's paper has well shown the 

 general condition of the fertilizer question. We all know that the 

 question of the application of fertilizer through our citrus orchards 

 is a very open one, and still certain things are known while a great 

 many others are not. 



It seems to me that citrus production has tw^o important phases 

 at present. One is the financial profit. We w^ant to grow oranges to 

 sell and get as much for them as possible. While other considerations 

 come in, that, after all, is the main question, to gro^v as many oranges 



