112 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
ammoniated fruit in addition to having 
the characteristic surface markings and 
splitting will often have a gummy deposit 
in the segment angles in the center of the 
fruit. 
Frenching is a term applied to a peculiar 
yellowing of the leaves. It is quite char¬ 
acteristic in that the leaves remain green 
along the midrib and lateral veins and be¬ 
come yellow in the fleshy part between the 
midrib and veins. Another condition that 
is often confused with frenching is where 
the leaves show lack of food or a starved 
condition. The difference in appearance 
is that the pattern is exactly opposite. The 
leaves showing hunger are yellow along 
the midrib and veins and green in the 
fleshy part of the leaf. Also the hunger 
leaves can often be brought back to good 
color but very little change can be pro¬ 
duced in frenched leaves. The change in 
appearance of the tree must come from 
normal growth being produced. It is es¬ 
pecially important to notice these differ¬ 
ences as the frenched trees should not re¬ 
ceive the same treatment as those showing 
lack of food. The frenched trees are un¬ 
healthy while those showing hunger may 
be healthy yet underfed. Frenching may 
result from most any of the causes of die- 
back. Of these it is most often caused by 
deep plowing and deep cultivation or both 
—where many of the crown roots and 
main feeder roots are repeatedly being 
disturbed, especially if fertilizer of high 
ammonia content derived entirely from 
inorganic sources has been used continu¬ 
ously. The use of lime in various forms 
on light sandy soil has brought on many 
serious cases of frenching. 
So far no suggestions have been made 
which might help overcome these condi¬ 
tions of the trees. In closing an attempt 
will be made to do this briefly. 
If it is a matter of drainage, make 
ditches deep and large enough to carry off 
excess water. Where trees are planted on 
ridges the furrows or ditches between 
should be as deep as possible and the beds 
as high and wide as can be made so that 
the trees will at all times have plenty of 
good normal roots above the line of water- 
soaked soil. Trees with crown roots too 
deep should be raised or have soil removed 
to proper level by cultural methods. 
When non-bearing trees and even 
young bearing trees are very badly affect¬ 
ed with dieback showing deep green color, 
multiple buds, gum pockets, bark excre¬ 
scence, flexible wood, but with little or no 
frenching, discontinue fertilizer for one 
application or even for a whole year if ob¬ 
servation of color and condition from time 
to time shows this to be advisable. The 
use of bluestone will help to hasten recov¬ 
ery. Keep cultivation shallow and mini¬ 
mum in amount. When fertilizing use 
fair amount of potash, low ammonia con¬ 
tent and at least half of this from slow 
acting sources. 
In handling older dieback trees it is not 
advisable to discontinue fertilizer for so 
long a period. Reduce amounts and use 
low ammonia analysis or make a greater 
reduction of a higher analysis if this is 
desired. Have about half the ammonia 
from slow acting sources. Maintain a 
good amount of phosphoric acid and also 
potash. The use of bluestone is also ad¬ 
visable in amounts varying with the size 
