FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
67 
organic sources of P. produce acidity. 
Floats and slags ^are the only neutral 
sources I recall. This question of acidity, 
we are told, has never been thoroughly 
studied out—there is much work to be 
done before accurate data can be assem¬ 
bled. I believe most of the argument for 
slag holds good for floats. If, as stated., 
there is enough acid in Florida soils by its 
action on slag to make available all the 
phosphoric acid needed, and this in spite 
of the alkalinity of slag, why is not the 
same true of floats? 
Steamed bone comes nearest being the 
ideal source of P., but it is expensive and 
will probably continue to advance in price. 
Acid phosphate is the cheapest source and 
should be cheaper. At present floats cost 
entirely too much. It is furnished by the 
manufacturer of acid phosphate, who is 
not interested in its use, but it should be 
placed on the market by the mining com¬ 
panies themselves. It is the cheapest 
source of P. that is, floats furnishes 
more phosphorus for less money than any 
other material. Certainly it is the slow¬ 
est source in point of available P., but I 
do believe it can be used to great advan¬ 
tage in farming operations, and it is quite 
possible that we may yet find it profitable 
in orange groves. 
There is yet a great deal to be learned 
about the most profitable use of the fer¬ 
tilizer elements. Some prominent and 
successful growers who know how to use 
them separately, do so at a considerable 
saving. Others are even rash enough to 
mix their own fertilizer and succeed in 
raising a No. 1 fruit at less cost than 
when they use mixed goods. Of course, 
neither one of these methods of proced¬ 
ure should be undertaken by the novice. 
But I do believe we are paying more than 
necessary for our mixed goods and for 
the raw material as well. It is hardly pos¬ 
sible for an association of growers to 
make much saving by buying mixed goods 
in quantity. Let us, in collaboration with 
those skilled gentlemen who are paid to 
help us, use some systematic study and 
work along these lines, and not be quite 
so ready to swallow all the information 
put out by interested parties. 
Mr. L. T. Dade, Orange City 
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : 
In speaking on fertilizers, I fear I can 
give you but little information that you 
have not already known or tried. How¬ 
ever, I will try and we can at least ex¬ 
change a few ideas. 
As the word implies, we are seeking or 
trying for that with which to improve 
our soil, and give to our trees and plants 
that which nature intended them to have, 
in order to make a strong, vigorous tree 
or plant, and our aim, it seems to me, 
should be to follow nature as closely as 
possible, and try as far as possible to re¬ 
store to our depleted soils the fertility of 
which we have in a measure robbed them, 
and to build up and give fertility to those 
soils which lack the necessary elements 
for producing good crops. 
As we all know, we have a great many 
acres of such land in our fair state, but 
I believe from my own observations and 
that of others, that with proper care and 
judgment, our poor soil can be made to 
bear and bring forth crops and that the 
wasted fertility can be restored to our 
depleted soils, but in order to do this we 
must go about it in a systematic way, and 
