438 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. I, No. 5 
situated about 5 miles from the ocean shore and is in a district that is more 
subject to ocean fogs and trade winds than is the main portion of the 
Pajaro Valley. It is a common characteristic of the numerous orchards 
of Yellow Bellflower apples of this particular district that they bloom 
abundantly, but set only a partial crop. The trees are on a deep sedimen¬ 
tary soil and grow well. 
Seven 12-year-old trees were sprayed on February 2, 1912. The appli¬ 
cation was very thoroughly made, so that all of the small twigs were 
drenched. About 7 gallons of spray solution were applied to each tree. 
Adjoining this row on one side was a check row of seven trees which received 
no winter spraying, and on the other side were several rows of seven trees 
each which received various applications of crude-oil emulsions and soaps. 
For the purpose of gaining some idea of the effect of nitrate of soda 
used as a fertilizer, 50 pounds were applied as a surface dressing to one 
vigorous tree selected from the row adjoining the nitrate-sprayed row. 
This fertilizer was later plowed in and washed down by the rains. 
EFFECTS ON BLOSSOMING AND ON THE FOLIAGE 
Notes taken at the time the trees were coming out in the spring show 
the following results: 
April 7,1912. Trees in the row sprayed with nitrate of soda and lye are well in bloom, 
while those in the check row adjoining and in the remainder of the unsprayed orchard 
are showing only an occasional flower fully opened. 
April 14, 1912. The relative advancement of the row sprayed with a solution of 
nitrate of soda and lye and the check plat is the same as noted on April 7. The nitrate- 
sprayed trees are nearly in full bloom, whereas comparatively few blossoms have 
opened on the check plat. 
When the check row had reached full bloom, the row sprayed with a solution of 
nitrate of soda and lye was practically out of bloom. 
Thus, the nitrate spraying advanced the blossoming time about two 
weeks ahead of the normal period. It is characteristic of the Yellow 
Bellflower variety of apples in the Pajaro Valley that the foliage buds 
come out early, so that by the time the full-bloom period is reached the 
trees are showing a considerable amount of young foliage. The nitrate 
spraying produced a change in this respect. While the flower buds were 
greatly stimulated in coming out, the foliage buds were not so much 
affected, and the result was that when the trees sprayed with a solution of 
nitrate of soda and lye were in full bloom and two weeks in advance of 
the check trees in that regard, their foliage condition was relatively nearer 
that of the check. Plate L shows the comparative stages of the nitrate- 
sprayed and the check trees at that time. A decided contrast will be seen 
in the relative advancement of the bloom on the tree sprayed with nitrate 
of soda (PI. L, fig. 1) as compared with the check tree (PI. L, fig. 2). This 
contrast is shown more in detail in Plate LI, in which figure 1 shows a 
branch from a nitrate-sprayed tree, while figure 2 shows one from a check 
tree. Both branches were collected on the same day. An examination 
of the figures in Plate L will show that the advancement of the foliage on 
the nitrate-sprayed tree is comparatively less marked than that of the 
bloom. This same condition is shown in detail in Plate LI, in which it 
will be seen that there is relatively little difference in the advancement of 
the foliage of the sprayed and unsprayed branches. Later in the spring, 
however, the effect on foliage growth became more pronounced, and the 
sprayed trees assumed a more vigorous, green appearance than the check 
trees. The single tree that received the 50 pounds of nitrate of soda 
applied to the soil showed no greater vigor than the check trees. 
