130 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
on the monthly mailing list. Also to the 
Experiment Station, Gainesville, Fla., for 
a list of the publications issued from 
there, and to the Commissioner of Agri¬ 
culture, Tallahassee, Fla., for the Quar¬ 
terly Bulletins sent out from that office. 
I secured a copy of every available bul¬ 
letin, circular and press notice, pertaining 
to this subject and have learned from 
each one. 
From our State Bulletins, Nos. 22 and 
43, both by A. A. Persons, we gain a 
very good knowledge of plant food, its 
sources and effect on different soils. But 
they were written years ago and the pro¬ 
portions given were based on chemical 
analyses of the soil and the crop desired; 
so it was a pleasure to find in United 
States Farmers’ Bulletin, No. 238, by 
our Prof. Rolfs, statements of the effect 
the different foods have on trees and 
fruit, and other necessary knowledge. In 
fact, it is a description of the citrus in¬ 
dustry in a nut shell. While in Farmers’ 
Institute Bulletin No. 2, which will be 
sent from our Experiment Station on re¬ 
ceipt of postage, I marked on page 23, 
in the interesting address of Chemist 
Rose, his statement of the need of— 
“Nitrogen to produce foliage, suc¬ 
culent leaves, * * * and immature 
wood. 
“Phosnhoric acid * * * to produce 
mature wood in fruit trees. 
“Potash to assist in formation of 
starch and sugar * * *” 
Later I learned farther that while ni¬ 
trogen is most essential, it has to be used 
with the greatest of care, for too luxuri¬ 
ant a growth means weakened tissues, 
and weakened tissues are prey to insects 
and diseases, organic nitrogen being es¬ 
pecially likely to produce bad effects on 
the citrus family. 
Too much phosphoric acid may bring 
about abnormal conditions, such as pro¬ 
fuse bloom, or an over-supply of seeds, 
and thus be detrimental to the general 
health of the tree; while too much potash 
may retard growth somewhat by harden¬ 
ing the fibers too soon; but the worst ef¬ 
fect of an excess of either phosphoric 
acid or potash is on the pocketbook. When 
we pay for more than we need we are 
out just so much money. 
The discourses by Brother Painter in 
Farmers’ Institute Bulletin No. 1, and 
by Brother Wilson in our Annual Re¬ 
port 1906, are instructive; especially the 
latter. Study carefully United States 
Farmers’ Bulletin No. 44 by Dr. Voor- 
hees. It is a thorough discussion of com- 
cial fertilizers. I could name many 
more free helps, but time is passing. 
Without cost one can lay a good founda¬ 
tion upon which to build the real knowl¬ 
edge which comes only by experience. 
When needing help on any point, write 
to our advanced brothers. They show 
unfailing patience and kindness in 
helping the weaker ones. Up to 
the point I have taken the study 
of plant foods in this talk, all au¬ 
thorities are practically agreed. Beyond, 
there is a great diversity of opinions of 
those seemingly equally well-posted, as 
to proper formulae and methods of cul¬ 
tivation. It seems to me that this is 
caused by different situations, and that 
we must each adapt the general principles 
to his own need. 
But we all have to pay for our fertil¬ 
izer. Now we come to this: • 
Hoze are zee to know we get what we 
order, and which formula gives us best 
value for our money? 
The state protects us in this if we avail 
ourselves of the privileges given. Our 
