Saint Mary Nurseries 
Planting Directions 
Fertilizers 
The fertilizer already recommended for use 
at time of planting will be found about right for 
young trees and, under most conditions, its use 
may be continued until the trees are well grown 
and commence to bear. On shade trees and 
shrubs its use may be continued throughout. 
When fruit trees begin to bear, the composition 
of the fertilizer applied should be changed. The 
amount of potash should be increased. In general, 
it will be found that a fertilizer containing 2 per 
cent ammonia, io to 12 per cent potash and 6 
per cent phosphoric acid will be about right. Of 
course, the composition of the fertilizer has to be 
varied to meet special conditions. 
The general tendency in the use of commercial 
fertilizers is to make frequent applications of 
small amounts. In arriving at the quantities 
plan to use from one to two pounds for each inch 
Disc harrow at work in an Orange grove 
required on shade trees, for instance, it is a good 
in diameter. Young fruit trees may be given a 
pound or two for each year of age, and fruiting 
trees have to be fertilized according to their con¬ 
dition and the crop indications. 
If a young orange tree received one-half pound 
at time of planting in January, it should receive 
a pound in March, another in June, and another 
in September. In its second year, it should be 
fertilized in February, April, June and Septem¬ 
ber, giving about one pound and a half at each 
application. After the second year, there should 
be a gradual increase as the trees become older; 
those who secure best results fertilize liberally. 
Something depends on the character of the soil. 
In fertilizing young trees, the fertilizer should 
be scattered in a band 2 feet wide, beginning 
back 6 inches from the trunk. As they become 
older, the fertilizer should be spread out toward 
the ends of the branches, and in old orchards or 
groves it should be broadcasted over the whole 
parts of the soil. After applying fertilizer the ground should be cultivated. 
Distributing fertilizer around the outside branches 
surface as the roots make their way into all 
Cover-crop of beggarweed in a Pecan orchard 
Insects and Diseases 
These must be watched for and guarded 
against. Dead branches should be removed from 
the tops of trees and burned. They often contain 
spores of diseases or have become the breeding- 
places of noxious insects. In some localities 
many insects may be controlled effectively 
through the agency of friendly fungi. It may 
be necessary to resort to spraying. In a general 
way it will be found that bordeaux mixture is 
effective against fungi, lime-sulphur wash as a 
winter spray against scale insects and fungi on 
deciduous trees, arsenate of lead against biting 
or chewing insects, and whale-oil soap or Schnarr’s 
insecticide against sucking insects such as white 
fly and against various scale insects. 
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