THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
425 
Quiz Column 
FORCING GROWTH 
In the October issue of the Nurseryman, I noticed a 
letter from West Bros, of Damascus, Ohio, about using 
Nitrate of Soda on a block of under sized yearing apple 
trees in the way that you advised and that they had good 
success with it. I want to try something of the kind and 
apply to you for the information. Some years we are all 
right and grow big, fine yearling apple trees that make up all 
right at two years and again we fall down and do not get the 
growth we ought to at one year and if we can find some thing 
to help these little yearlings along we would be only too glad 
to use it. It costs as much to grow a poor yearling as a good 
one but the margin of profit is materially cut down on the 
small tree and we are willing to divide the profit with some¬ 
one if we can get the good yearling every year. Awaiting 
your reply, Apple Grower. 
Answer 
We think there is a good deal in this practice of using a 
special and readily available fertilizer on trees that are 
making unsatisfactory growth. These trees need something 
to encourage vegetative activity, and probably the best thing 
to use is a readily available food like nitrate of soda. There 
is of course, some danger in using this fertilizer for one is apt 
to think that if a little is good more will be better, but in the 
use of concentrated fertilizers we can easily overdo it. A 
good principle to practice is to apply fertilizers of this kind 
in small quantities. It is much better to do this than to 
apply infrequently in large doses. Nitrate of soda can be 
used at the rate of 1000 lbs. to the acre, if applied in three or 
four applications covering the growing season, but we do not 
imagine that you would need to use nearly as much as a half 
ton for it is expensive and we are not sure that it would pay 
you. It would be well worth a trial at any rate in smaller 
quantities and we would suggest making two applications 
during the fore part of the season to those blocks that 
needed stimulation, at the rate of 200 lbs. per acre per 
application. It should be sprinkled along the line of the 
row and then worked in slightly with the cultivator. If a 
rain followed the application there would be no need of 
covering it for it would dissolve immediately. This is our 
suggestion, and we think it would be worth while trying 
next year. Editor. 
Specially prepared ground for the broad leaved evergreens, Rhododendrons 
and the like. Bobbink & Atkins, Rutherford, N. J. 
]Vote and Comment 
HEAVY CITRUS SHIPMENTS TO NEW YORK 
The orange crop of Florida is larger this year than it has 
been since the freeze. Some twenty-five cars of Florida 
oranges reached New York on the first day of December. 
This heavy shipment had the effect of depressing the market. 
The grape fruit seemed to feel the glut more than oranges. 
California’s crop is under the average so that it is probable 
prices for oranges will range about as usual the present 
winter. 
APPLES 
Heavy shipments of apples were made to New York and 
the eastern cities early in December. Notwithstanding 
this it is estimated that there are over one million barrels in 
storage houses between Rochester and Buffalo. Prices 
ranged from $3.00 to $6.00 per barrel. A considerable 
quantity of low grade stock has been stored this year which 
accounts for the wide range in prices. 
PECAN EXHIBITION 
An interesting exhibition of native Indiana pecans was 
recently held at Mt. Vernon, Ind. The exhibition brought 
out a large display of nuts and included many varieties 
which appeared to have considerable promise. The exhibi¬ 
tion was under the auspices of the Department of Horticul¬ 
ture at Purdue. It is said that between 15 and 20 car loads 
of pecans are shipped out of the Mt. Vernon district of Indi¬ 
ana each year. 
ARLINGTON, NEBRASKA ORCHARDS 
Messrs. Marshall Brothers, Nurserymen of Arlington, 
Neb., have sold their large crop of apples to Newhall of 
Chicago, at a satisfactory price. These apples graded over 
80%, No. 1, while orchards less systematically cared for in 
the same vicinity graded as low as 40%, No. 1. Marshall 
Brothers have been carrying on cooperative experiments in 
spraying with the State Experiment Station at Lincoln and 
their results are most gratifying as demonstrating the 
possibility of securing by up-to-date methods an almost per¬ 
fect grade of fancy fruit. 
A nursery of high grade selected conifers. Bobbink & Atkins. 
