FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
87 
form, would produce a normal growth 
when the nodules were present, but if they 
were not present they would quickly die. 
It was indeed proved that a legume grow¬ 
ing in a poor sandy soil provided with no¬ 
dule-forming bacteria, will be even more 
vigorous and produce a better crop than 
plants growing in a moderately rich soil 
devoid of the bacteria. A great many re¬ 
cent field experiments in all parts of the 
country have proved this beyond a doubt. 
One of the most striking experiments 
was that of Prof. J. F. Duggar at the 
Alabama Experiment Station in 1895 and 
1897. On one field where hairy vetch 
had not been grown previously and the 
fertilizer used contained phosphoric acid 
and potash without any nitrogen, the 
yield was but 235 pounds of hay per acre. 
On a similar plot, treated in a similar 
manner with the exception of the addi¬ 
tion of some soil from an old field con¬ 
taining the proper bacteria, the yield of 
hay was 2540 pounds per acre, or an in¬ 
crease of over 2000 pounds. This benefi¬ 
cial effect is not confined to the legumin¬ 
ous crop itself, but is imparted to the 
crops following such plants and this has 
become so universally accepted and so 
many times proved, that every recogniz¬ 
ed system of rotation includes some legu¬ 
minous crop in its course. The fact is 
tersely stated by T. E. Neal, from results 
of experiments at the Deleware Experi¬ 
ment Station, that $100 invested in clo¬ 
ver seed returned four times as much as 
the same amount invested in nitrate of so¬ 
da. It is estimated in this country that 
the average amount of nitrogen added to 
the soil by legums is 122 pounds per acre. 
When it is remembered that a high grade 
nitrate of soda contains only about 15 per 
cent, of nitrogen, while much that is on 
the market often contains considerable 
less, it will be seen that a crop of legumes 
is equal to from 800 to 1000 pounds of 
nitrate of soda per acre, which at the pres¬ 
ent price of this fertilizer, is equal in 
value to from $20 to $25. 
We thus see a possible future solution 
of the question of the nitrogen supply, at 
least. The horticulturist of Florida, as 
well as in other states, in order to meet 
the gradually extending competition, has 
got to take advantage of every possible 
means of furnishing the fertilization 
necessary to secure the best results, at the 
lowest price consistent with efficiency, 
but in doing this he must be careful that 
he does not deteriorate the quality of his 
fruit. Every poorly fertilized grove 
means poor fruit which in turn is a men¬ 
ace to the reputation of the whole crop,, 
which up to the present time at least, has 
justly and easily held first place. We 
must however, seek always to improve our 
fruit, so that we may not only meet, but 
keep ahead of the competition that is 
bound to develope from the West Indies 
etc. The geographical position of Flori¬ 
da is such, that I believe she can and will 
meet this competition, especially in the 
quality of her fruit. 
