FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
it is with genuine fellow feeling that 
I strive to help people pass on and be¬ 
yond it just as I was helped some years 
ago. 
ESSENTIALS OF A GOOD FERTILIZER 
What are the essentials of good fer¬ 
tilizer? First of all, the plant food must 
be derived from right sources; second, 
it must be well balanced as to percent¬ 
age of ammonia, phosphoric acid and 
potash; third, the ammoniates must be 
proportioned to give steady growth 
with minimum waste; and fourth, these 
different ingredients must be put to¬ 
gether right—some materials perhaps 
not allowed to come in contact with 
each other until mixed with certain 
other materials—and all ground to 
make a perfect combination, not a mere 
mixing. And with all, due care given 
to secure good physical condition—- 
lumpy fertilizer does not spread well. 
sources 
The citrus tree is very sensitive to 
the effects of different sources of plant 
food. The several materials carrying 
phosphoric acid are all congenial, the 
grower’s one necessary precaution be¬ 
ing as to availability; but the ammonia 
must in great measure be derived from 
chemicals, an excess of organic am¬ 
moniates tending to diseased trees and 
coarse, rough fruit; and the potash 
must be free from chlorine content. 
ANALYSIS 
Experience has taught us that the 
young tree uses plenty of ammonia to 
171 
good advantage and about an equal per¬ 
centage of potash, but that excessive 
potash will so harden the tissue as to 
restrict proper development. A fertil¬ 
izer carrying 
5% Ammonia, 
6% Available Phosphoric Acid, and 
5% Potash 
has been found especially desirable for 
a growing formula. 
Older trees should continue to have 
a growing formula for spring applica¬ 
tion, but need less ammonia and more 
potash in summer and fall. Fruit can¬ 
not develop the fine, firm tissue so es¬ 
sential if it is to find an appreciative 
buyer in a far off market without this 
goodly potash content. A formula car¬ 
rying 
4% Ammonia, 
6 % Available Phosphoric Acid, and 
13% Potash 
is good for summer application to de¬ 
velop the fruit and bring out good 
growth of branch, this new wood being 
the foundation for next season’s fruit¬ 
ing; and one carrying 
3% Ammonia, 
6% Available Phosphoric Acid, and 
10% Potash 
for fall, gives the trees materials from 
which to build up their general vitality 
after the heavy drain of the matured 
crop. 
Without doubt these analyses show 
rather more potash than is actually 
needed to get right results, but they 
have been generally accepted by both 
growers and manufacturers. 
