One Thousand Questions in California Agriculture AnsweredWickson, Edward J. (Edward James)
Science
One Thousand Questions in California Agriculture Answered
Wickson, Edward J. (Edward James)
Agriculture -- California
Careful experimenting with fertilizers will teach you more than analysis
would do, because the behavior of the tree under various conditions
tells you more than a chemist possibly could. Besides, we are of the
conviction that on good soils young fruit trees should not be pushed
beyond the growth which they would naturally make with a regular and
adequate moisture supply. Be careful about using fertilizers on young
trees, either in the summer or in the winter. When they come to bearing
age and yield large crops of fruit, that is another question. Any
California soil which will not grow young fruit trees thriftily should
not be used for orchard purposes unless an amateur desires to grow trees
on a picturesque lot of rocks or sand.
Results of Fertilizing Olives.
We have 100 acres in olives about six miles northeast of Rialto in San
Bernardino county. In 1908 we got about five tons from the 100 acres. We
began fertilizing and cultivating in 1909, and have put on the 100 acres
about the same amount of fertilizer each year. In 1909 we got 15 tons;
in 1910, 116 tons, and 1911 is estimated at 325 to 350 tons.
It is important that your olive trees are responding to good treatment
and fertilization. Unfortunately, that does not seem to be always the
case and a good many olive trees have been made into firewood because
nothing seemed to bring them into satisfactory bearing. Good bearing
olive trees are now among the very best of our horticultural properties,
while non-bearing olive trees are worth about $7 a cord for fire wood.
Nursery Fertilizers.
I have light sandy loam, well drained. It has been in blackberries, and
I now have it planted to nursery fruit tree stock. I have given it this
spring two applications of nitrate of soda, but no other fertilizer.
Will the nitrate act alone, or must I apply also the phosphate and
potash to get results?
Nitrate of soda will act alone and will stimulate growth, and there are
cases in which there is enough phosphate and potash already in the soil
to act with it. Usually, however, it is customary to use a complete
fertilizer containing phosphate and potash as well as nitrogen, in order
that the plant may be more roundly supplied and promoted, and one would
be a little safer in using that sort of fertilizer than in relying upon
the nitrate of soda alone. You will, of course, be careful not to use
these fertilizers in too large amounts, for nitrate of soda is
especially dangerous if used in excess.
Almond Hulls and Sawdust.
Is there any fertilizing value in the hulls of almonds? Would pine
sawdust from the lumber mills be a good substance to mix in and plow
under in a three-acre adobe patch in order to loosen and lighten the
soil for truck gardening?
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