52 



cultivation is not to produce the fruit we fiud in the wild state, but to 

 modify that fruit to suit our purpose. One of the most efficient methods 

 of accomplishing this is to vary the ferti isatiun. 



While it can not be denied that muck has in some cases gi\en excel- 

 lent results, it must be conceded that its extensive use has usually been 

 of doubtful benefit and often has done positive injury. Groves which 

 have had liberal dressings of muck are frequently much diseased and 

 produce light crops ; the oranges are usually coarse, thick-skinned, and 

 sour ; the productiveness is often lessened by extensive premature drop- 

 ping of the fruit ; the tendenc} r seems to be to brin-; on die-back, a disease 

 which is of frequent occurrence in groves heavily fertilised with muck. 

 What has been said of muck applies to a greater or less extent to the 

 various forms of organic nitrogen used. The tendency of all organic 

 manures rich in nitrogen is to produce a large growth which is weak 

 and sickly. Growth and not fruit is stimulated, an 1 the fruit resulting 

 is usualh' of poor quality, inclined to be large and rough, with a thick 

 rind and abundant rag. 1 



STABLE MANURE OF DOUBTFUL UTILITY. 



Barn manure is largely used by many growers, who still hold to the 

 tradition that chemical manures are injurious to the plants. The bene- 

 fits of barn manure in an orange grove are in serious question. The 

 fruits produced by nitrogen from this source are, as above stated, usually 

 large, coarse, thick-skinned, with abundant rag, and of inferior flavour. 

 If barn manure is used — and most growers have a limited quantity 

 and desire to use what they have — it should be spread over the grove 

 lightly, so that each tree receives ouly a small amount. Where such 

 manure is depended upon as the main element of fertilisation, liberal 

 dressings of potash shouid be occasionally applied ; this will tend to 

 correct the evils of an overbalanced nitrogenous fertiliser. What has 

 been said as to the effect of muck and barn nanure on the quality ot 

 the fruit applies equally to the effects produced by cotton-seed meal, 

 blood and bone, tankage, etc. 



In general, organic fertilizers do not stimulate fruiting to the same 

 extent as the mineral fertilizers. It is probably better economy to 

 apply such fertilizers to annual crops, cereals, garden truck, etc. 



MINERAL NITROGEN. 



The mineral nitrogen manures, nitrate of soda and sulphate of 

 ammonia, apparently stimulate production of frnit more than organic 

 manures and yet promote a fair general growth. The fruit produced by 

 fertilisation with the salts, used in correct proportions with the other 

 elements which it is necessary to apply, is usually of good quality, being 

 solid, juicy, and rich, with thin skin and little rag. Sulphate of am- 

 monia has the effect, growers testify, of sweetening the f luit to a consi- 

 derable extent. There seems to be little doubt as to the correctness of 

 this view, but why it is so remains in question The sweetening is pro- 

 bably more marked if there is a slight deficiency of potash. The use of 

 very large quantities of either sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda may 

 result disastrously, acting as " chemical poison," killing the trees out- 



1 A term applied to the pithy axis of the orange fruik and the membranes 



separating the seetions. 



