to

Success

*

o

00

>-

GIFT OF

y

Wilson <Sf Toomer
Fertilizer Co.

Key to Success

Wouldst have abundant crops reward thy toil
And fill thy barns, O tiller of the soil ?
Then ever keep in mind this maxim true,
Feed well the land, and 'twill in turn feed you."

Price, Twenty-five Cents, Postpaid.
Cloth Bound, Fifty Cents.

Free Booklets

How and When to Fertilize Citrus Trees
Full Crops— Half Drops

Good Fruit
For Value Received

(The last three issued in season)

Lime: Its Forms and Effects
Florida Vegetables

Irish Potatoes

Melons and Cucumbers

Florida Strawberries

Pecans

Cotton Farming
More Cotton — Less Work
Lower East Coast Section

Ideal Fertilizers, a booklet giving the analyses,
prices, etc., of our different brands.

Citrus Culture for Profit. — This work covers citrus culture from selection'
of land to marketing, including latest methods of insect and disease
control. Cloth bound, 50 cents; paper covers, 25 cents.

Control of Insects and Diseases in Grove, Garden and Field. — A com-
plete treatise describing the different insects and diseases and means
of prevention, control and remedy, including crop rotation, recipes
for making and mixing insecticides and fungicides, directions for
their use and description of effective spraying implements. Price
50 cents.

Key to Success

General Principles

oj

Soil Management

by
N. M. G. Prange

Wilson & Toomer Fertilizer Co.

Publishers

To Our Friends

Copyright, 1913, by

Wilson & Toomer Fertilizer Co.

All rights reserved

Preface

Again we make our bow to the public who has ever re-
ceived us so kindly. "Key to Success'7 is a fitting name
for this little book, as it is an easily read statement of
the general principles of soil management and conser-
vation.

The information is based on a personal experience in
Florida during the past twenty-five years supplemented
by the field experience of many others, and a study of
all the leading authorities in this line of work.

Thanking our many friends for their hearty co-opera-
tion in our educational work,

Very respectfully,

. WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER Co.
March, 1913.

260271

CONTENTS

PAGE

Preface v

Chapter I

Soil 1

Chapter II

Soil Preparation 4

Chapter III

Management of Different Soils 9

Chapter IV

Lime , 13

Chapter V

Starting the Grove 20

Chapter VI

What a Fertilizer Tag Means 31

Chapter VII

Home Mixing 37

Chapter Vlll

Effect of the Different Elements 41

Chapter IX

Fertilizer Materials 47

Chapter X

Plant Constituents 56

Chapter XI

Fertility G3

Chapter XII

Insects in General 72

Chapter XIII

Diseases in General 77

Chapter XIV

Spraying 82

VII

Chapter I.
Soil

About the first point taken up by the grower who is
starting in to "do things rightv is soil analysis. It seems
such a simple solution of all questions on fertilization
and such an insurance of success. "Analyze the soil;
compare that with the general analysis of the crop to
be grown; buy the lacking ingredients. Why doesn't
everyone who cares at all for success go to this slight
trouble and expense?" Alas! the disappointment and
(often) incredulity when told the plan is not feasible;
that the real starting point is the texture of the soil;
that the right content of air, water, and humus for the
greatest activity of our friendly bacteria must be se-
cured before the best of fertilizers can bring about maxi-
mum productiveness.

Productiveness — That is what we Floridians like to
talk about. Newcomers may laugh at our "sand" but
when they hear how much that sand produces they look at
it with respect. With our soil and climate, opportunities
are unlimited. If Florida is a "lazy man's country" it
is simply because the lazy man can exist here more easily
than in a colder clime, not at all because there is not
a chance for his energetic brother to reap full reward
for his activities.

2 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

Varieties

We have many varieties of soil, — the almost pure sand
over coarser sand subsoil upon which are planted the
largest and finest pineapple fields of the world; the
sandy loams of various degrees of richness over subsoils
of yellow sand, clay or marl, upon which are our mag-
nificent citrus groves, famous melon, strawberry, and
potato fields, Sea Island cotton, corn, and hay farms,
and the coming pecan orchards. Then, to the south are
the Everglade lands which are in a class to themselves,
and their development is largely in the future. Since I
confine my communications to actual facts, not hopes,
—with the statement that marvelous crops have been
made where there is a marl subsoil and drainage has
been secured, I will drop the Everglades and go back
to our various sandy loams. These are classed by their
virgin growth which is influenced largely by water con-
tent.

The larger portion are pine lands, — "high pine," "heavy
pine/' and "flat woods." The high pine is rather in-
clined to be thirsty, but is the site of many good groves,
especially of grapefruit which is a rather better forager
than the orange tree. The "spruce-pine ridges" are
similar to the high pine land. The heavy pine is lower,
richer soil, generally has undergrowth of saw palmetto
and is intersected by strips of cabbage palmetto which
indicate more moisture and by savannas growling only
grass as proof that for a considerable part of the year

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 3

the ground is saturated, thus preventing the growth of
any shrubs or trees. Heavy pine is good for both groves
and gardens. When these savannas are of large expanse
they are called "prairies." Between the prairies and the
pine land there is a state which induces the growth of
hard wood and jungle-like vegetation. These tracts upon
which are some of the finest citrus groves are called
"hammocks." Hammock and prairie lands are exceed-
ingly rich and produce the choicest of fruit and vege-
tables.

My readers must not think this is a standard classi-
fication. Every locality makes different distinctions, but
I trust I have made it clear that the lands run from high,
dry sand to low, wet soils rich in humus, and that the
subsoil may be open or compact. Whichever land the
prospective grower chooses he will find his choice brings
with it both advantages and disadvantages.

4 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

Chapter II

Soil Preparation

The clearing away of native growth should be done
thoroughly; stumps and large roots occupy valuable
space, interfere with cultivation, and furnish a breeding
place for wood lice, etc.

Drainage — Good drainage is most essential. None of
our commercial products do well on water-soaked soil.
Open ditches are the most common means of drainage,
but tiling is used quite extensively, especially in the sec-
tions devoted to intensive gardening. No rule can be
laid down for this work as it must be governed entirely
by local conditions. The point is to lower the water
table so it is at least three feet below the surface. Wide,
shallow ditches are much better than deep, narrow ones,
as they are equally serviceable in wet seasons, and in
dry seasons do not make the land on their border so
droughty.

Plowing — Even the most enthusiastic advocates of
deep plowing have found better results are obtained on
heavier soil to make the first plowing shallow, — about
three inches deep.

Lime — There are exceptions to all rules, but generally
new land is sour, particularly after the broken roots
commence to decay. Crushed limestone is the most nat-
ural and economical base we have at hand. The amount
to be used depends upon the land; heavy land generally

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 5

needs two or three tons to the acre, while one ton is
often sufficient for light, open soil. If the clearing is
too small to alloAV bu}ring car lots of crushed limestone
hydrated lime can be used, but as this form is in much
finer particles it acts more quickly and one ton per acre
is the average application. The lime should be spread
broadcast after plowing and harrowed in. This work is
generally completed in the spring.

Cover Crops — Cowpeas, velvet beans, or beggar weed
should be planted. In the fall, the cover crop should
be mowed and dried. (Never turn under green vegeta-
tion.) Unless a disk plow is to be used for next plowing,
thorough work should now be done with a disk harrow,
cutting the vines and mixing them with the soil.

Second Plowing — A disk plow is best, but so far,
few are used in the State. Very satisfactory results can
be obtained with a good turn plow run as deep as the
surface soil allows and followed in furrow with subsoil
plow, each implement drawn by double team. Most of
our soils crumble, but on heavy soils which hold their
form the furrow should be thrown at a 45-degree angle,

Harrowing — The harrow should immediately follow
the plow to level the land that there be less exposed sur-
face and to create a dust mulch to break capillary action.
This conserves the moisture content. It is in the fall
season now and our land is ready either for vegetables
or trees, but in most cases the one comes out ahead who
"makes haste slowly" and does not plant his trees until
the second year.

6 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

Results Desired

Since our lands are so varied and seasons are unde-
pendable, it is well for the grower to know just what
are the results to be obtained by working the soil. The
old idea of cultivating to kill weeds has long been cast
aside. Land is cultivated to secure proper texture and
the right content of air, water, and humus. These fac-
tors are dependent one upon the other, for no one of
them would likely be correct without the others being
about right also.

Texture — To be in perfect tilth, land must be a
crumbly mass of soil grains, easily penetrated by feed-
ing roots, admitting enough air but not too much, and
holding a large amount of capillary water. The deeper
in the soil this condition is maintained, the greater re-
sources at the command of the plant. Vegetable growers
and farmers should plow deep every fall, but the grove-
maker must depend upon first preparation and constant
attention to surface conditions. However, his trees are
continuously on the ground and with their extensive
root systems keep the underground right if given a
chance for a good start. Working wet ground, especially
in summer time, causes it to pack and sour. Often, the
harm done by one ill-advised cultivation will show its
effects for two or three years. Similar effects occur when
particles are too fine, — so very fine there is practically
no room for air or water in the soil. Such condition
can be overcome by working when in right stage of mois-

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 7

ture, especially if lime is added to induce "flocculation,"
— the gathering together of fine particles to make a soil
grain. This trouble is found particularly among clay
soils. Our new land is inclined to be too coarse and raw.
No treatment can bring it into right texture immedi-
ately; it takes time and cultivation to accomplish this.

Air — Air in the soil is necessary for the respiration of
the roots and the development of our friendly bacteria.
It is also important in promoting chemical changes.
Many of these are forms of oxidation and through them
much plant food becomes available. This is especially
noticeable in the formation of nitrates as taken up under
"Bacteria." It will also be seen that the air supply
determines through its influence on bacteria, whether
organic matter becomes plant food or plant poison. Too
much air allows a drying-out of the soil, thereby de-
creasing the water supply of the plant.

Water — Capillary water is that held in films around
the soil grains and is the ideal form of soil moisture.
The smaller the soil grains the more surface they pre-
sent, therefore, to a certain extent, the more water held
by capillarity; and the more water in contact with the
soil, the greater amount of plant food brought into avail-
ability. Free water, or ground water, is that which
would run off if given a chance. It fills the spaces be-
tween the soil grains, thereby shutting out the air and
bringing on the many troubles caused by such conditions.
Such water should not be allowed within three feet of
the surface.

8 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

Humus — Humus increases the water storage by absorp-
tion and also by its particles being finer than the sand
particles, which are the bulk of our soils. By holding
the water it saves from leaching any plant food the
water has in solution and also keeps the land from ex-
cessive heat in summer. It regulates the air supply, as
it fills in coarse soils and opens up fine ones; it is
a source of plant food, particularly of our most expen-
sive element, nitrogen; and is both a food and a dwell-
ing place for bacteria. The content of humus decides a
soil's fertility. That there be no misunderstanding, I
will explain: Vegetable matter, though popularly called
humus, is not humus until properly decomposed; the
peat-like substances found in some swamps, though of
vegetable origin, are not humus and neither are they
fertile. Humus is the fine dark dust of the soil; it is
easily used by plants and much of it is drained away.
The addition of humus matter to soil is necessary not
alone for building up the soils but to preserve their nat-
ural fertility. The great crops we produce impoverish
the land just as surely as drawing checks lessens a bank
account. Eight management of the soil makes the fer-
tility greater each year.

IDEAL FERTILIZERS

Chapter III

Management of Different Soils

The high, sand land is invaluable for pineapples since
they demand an extremely open soil. However, the pine-
apple is a vigorous feeder and large quantities of organic
fertilizers must be used and the soil kept free from
crusted surface or weeds by frequent working with the
scuffle hoe.

Light, Dry Land — The citrus grower, on high pine or
spruce-pine lands, has no worry about drainage but must
make a continuous struggle to conserve moisture and
to build up the humus content. The subsoil is likely to
be open, tending to leaching; probably the lime has
already been leached away. He should apply crushed
limestone or hydrated lime for plant food and general
soil conditions, but especially for a partial cementing
of the soil particles at the "plow sole," thus making the
drainage less rapid. Such land should be plowed at
equal depth every year that the pressure of the plow
make this plow sole. This plowing should be done in
early spring and followed by shallow harrowing to keep
a dust mulch over the surface. About the middle of May
the summer application of fertilizer should be put on
and cowpeas or velvet beans planted in drills so the cul-
tivation can be continued until the rains come or until

10 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

the vines cover the ground. In the fall, the vines should
be mowed and wrhen dry worked into the soil with a
disk harrow. The fertilizers used for young trees and
spring application on bearing trees should have an or-
ganic content. This should be of tankage or Peruvian
guano — not cotton seed meal. By this method of culti-
vation the land will become heavier and darker and less
thirsty every year, for the humus content will be in-
creased. In starting young trees special attention should
be paid to establishing a deep root system. With all
these precautions, undoubtedly the difference in growth
and fruit secured by irrigation would make an irriga-
tion plant a most profitable investment.

Heavy, Wet Land — A direct opposite condition to the
above is found in the groves wrhere the water table comes
within three feet of the surface. A natural growth of
grass soon occurs on such land and this is allowed pos-
session of the middles. Circles should be hoed around
the trees and covered with heavy mulching. Strictly
chemical fertilizers are adapted to this soil. They can
be spread broadcast and left for the rains to carry down ;
there will be no waste. All the land will have to be
worked for about three years after clearing to reduce
the virgin growth and to secure right physical condi-
tions, but great care must be taken not to puddle the
soil by disturbing it when too wet, especially in hot
weather. Such land invariably needs extensive drainage,
and even then wrould be too wet during the summer rains
were it not for the vast amount of wrater thrown off by

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 11

the transpiration of the grass. Although the land is
so wet during rainy seasons the trees soon feel the effects
of a drouth, since the roots are necessarily so near the
surface. To help toward conserving the moisture, when
rains cease the grass should be mowed and left broad-
cast. By this, too, the natural humus content is kept
up and all fertilizer used by the grass, the most impor-
tant part of which (nitrates) would otherwise have
leached awa}T, is given back to the soil. Generally, irri-
gation is not used on these low lands, but some growers
contend that the benefits gained in a dry season more
than offset the expense.

I suppose someone is asking if the grass helps to evapo-
rate the water from wet soils why does not the cover
crop make the dry soil drier? The cover crop has not
nearly so great a leaf surface as a heavy growth of grass ;
and, too, the grains of sand are such extremely good con-
ductors of heat the ground would soon be hot enough
to dry out the little soil moisture and to fairly burn the
tender roots were it not .for the shade afforded. Many
things in agriculture seem on the surface to be contra-
dictory, but a little study makes the matter plain. Heavy
applications of lime are almost sure to be needed on
low, wet soils. Any convenient form can be used.

Other Soils — Between these two extremes of grove cul-
ture there are all gradations. Each grower must decide
by actual results just what degree of cultivation applies
best to his circumstances; texture of soil, humus, and
moisture always receiving due consideration.

12 WILSON & TOOMBR FERTILIZER COMPANY

Vegetables — Vegetables do not prosper on the lightest
soils but the yields on our heavy lands are almost in-
credible. Not alone one crop, but two or three can be
produced over winter with a hay crop in summer from
natural growth. Rich, sandy loams with heavy subsoil,
are adapted to strawberries, melons, and Irish potatoes,
while the pecan grove and diversified farming prosper
best on the heaviest of loams with clay subsoil.

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 13

Chapter IV

Lime

We are all interested in lime as a base. Most of our
soils are acid and we wonder what form of lime to use,
how much, and when to apply. All forms of free lime
eventually revert to carbonate of lime, the form found
in the original limestone.

Crushed Limestone — This, as the name signifies, is the
natural limestone crushed. It is the best and most eco-
nomical form to use on our sandy loams ; best, because
it is the nearest like a natural deposit; economical, be-
cause it has had no expensive preparation and can be
sold cheap in bulk by car lots of fifteen or more tons.
Two or three tons per acre is the usual application.
Under ordinary conditions this amount will put the land
in good growing condition and leave enough surplus to
meet current demands for about four years. It has been
estimated that the usual chemical reactions taking place
in fertile soil cause a loss each year of about 500 pounds
of lime per acre.

Quick, Caustic or "Rock" Lime — Rock lime is ninde
by burning limestone. The carbon dioxide is driven out
by intense heat. One hundred pounds of limestone make
fifty-six pounds of rock lime which furnishes the same
amount of base as the original one hundred pounds of

14 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

limestone. Bock lime is sometimes used on extremely
plastic (stick}7) clay soils, but should not be applied to
ordinary soils as its violent action burns out the humus.

Hydrated or Water=Slaked Lime — Hydrated lime is
rock lime combined with about one-third its weight of
water; therefore, seventy -four pounds are equal in basic
qualities to fifty-six pounds of the rock lime or one hun-
dred pounds of limestone. If, for the purpose of saving
freight rock lime is purchased, it should be water-slaked
before application. This can be done by putting it in
piles of three or four bushels scattered over the field
and covering the piles with four or five inches of damp
earth. For best results, leave it for several days rather
than to hasten the slaking by applying all the needed
water at once. The best commercial hydrated lime comes
in 40-lb. paper bags. It is put up in this way to pre-
vent air-slaking. About one ton of hydrated lime is
used per acre. It acts more readily than crushed lime-
stone because of its particles being so much finer, but
though the ton application may give as good results
the first year as a three-ton application of crushed lime-
stone, its effects on the land will be seen less than half
as long.

Air=Slaked or Carbonate of Lime — As said above, all
forms of free lime eventually revert to carbonate of lime.
If rock and hydrated lime are exposed to the air they
gradually take on carbon dioxide until fully combined.
Air-slaked lime is exactly the same chemically as lime-
stone and has the same value as base; however, its physi-

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 15

cal form being so much finer, allows quicker action and
the general application of air-slaked lime is about a ton
per acre, thus another application will be needed much
sooner than when crushed limestone is used. The eco-
nomical buyer does not purchase air-slaked lime, for
it costs as much per ton as the hydrated and the same
freight, yet it is really worth only three-fourths as much.

Miscellaneous Forms — Sulphate of lime, gypsum, or
land plaster, is not a base but is most valuable in in-
ducing chemical changes that bring latent plant food
(potash in particular) into availability. Superphosphate
and dissolved boneblack are about two-thirds sulphate
of lime, and one-third phosphate of lime. Sulphate of
lime combines with free ammonia, fixing it as sulphate
of ammonia. Unleached wood ashes contain about 35
per cent, carbonate of lime, and Basic Slag is popularly
believed to carry about 33^ per cent, of free lime, but
Dr. Van Slyke, Chemist of the Agricultural Experiment
Station of New York, says that though there is about
a 35 per cent, content of calcium, "generally less than
two and often less than one per cent, is present as
calcium oxide or so-called free lime, while the amount
of carbonate is insignificant."

Free lime must not be mixed with fertilizer, as it
causes a waste of ammonia. Lime should not be used
on Irish potato land; it makes conditions favorable for
scab. Lime around cabbage, etc., keeps down club root,
and on sweet potato ground has been found most effective
in reducing soil rot of sweet potatoes.

16 WILSON & TOOMEIl FERTILIZER COMPANY

When to Apply — When land needs liming, the best
time to put the lime on is as soon as the labor can be
secured if it is at least three or four weeks before an
application of fertilizer or two weeks after. With this
precaution, land can be limed at any time convenient
to the grower; however, when it can be so arranged,
probably early August is the most desirable time for
application, as the summer fertilizer is well incorpo-
rated with the soil so there will be no waste through
contact of fertilizer and lime on surface of ground, and
the nitrates formed will be taken up by the cover crop
and the September growth of the trees.

Too Much Lime? — Too great alkalinity is detrimen-
tal, but the dangerous alkali salts are based "mainly on
soda with a small content of potash and usually a little
lime and magnesia." Black alkali is mainly carbonate
of soda, while white alkali, which is less injurious, is
principally sulphate of soda. With our bounteous rain-
fall and open soil there is not the least danger of our
forming an "alkali desert" by any applications we might
make. The soda left from nitrate of soda is beneficial
to us, not detrimental. In clay lands where, nitrate of
soda is used in excess it packs the soil, but only in arid
regions does "alkali" accumulate. As against "alkali,"
note the limestone regions. It is proverbial that "a lime-
stone country is a rich country." Imagine any applica-
tion of limestone approaching the amount of these nat-
ural deposits !

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 17

At the recent citrus seminar Mr. Collison, Chemist of
the Agricultural Experiment Station, who is making a
particular study of soil chemistry and fertilizers, made
the statement that though he could not give the maxi-
mum amount of crushed limestone which might be ap-
plied without harm "ten tons per acre did not approach
the danger line." Both Professor Rolfs, Director, and
Captain Rose, State Chemist, two men eminently fitted
by education and wide experience to pass upon Florida
conditions, agreed to his statement. Dean Vernon, of
the College of Agriculture, Dr. Flint, Chemist, and Major
Floyd, Horticulturist of the University of Florida, and
many other scientists, as well as our oldest and most
successful growers say we do not use near enough lime
and that there is no probability of there being too much
crushed limestone applied to the general Florida soil.
Hopkins, of the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Sta-
tion, mentions a ten-ton per acre application as likely
to be beneficial rather than detrimental, while Hilgard,
King, Bailey, Van Slyke, and in fact, all agricultural
chemists, emphasize the value of plenty of base "prefer-
ably carbonate of lime." With this unanimity of all real
authorities I think we may rest easy about the question
of too much lime, especially as none of us are going to
use even five tons per acre. It is to be hoped, though,
that the application of two or three tons per acre of
crushed limestone followed every four years by at least
another ton is going to become general, as our lands
need this much base.

18 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

Other Uses of Lime

Lime is one of the essentials of plant growth. It is
used to strengthen the cell walls, and with potash, aids
in the moving of organized plant foods — starch, sugar,
etc., — within the plant. The word "organized" is used
in this instance to distinguish the "digested" sap or com-
bined substances from the "raw" sap, or separate ele-
ments. Van Slyke, in his extensive study of the relation
of lime to plant growth, found lime to be most abundant
where there was the greatest activity; that "leaves use
over fifteen times as much as fruit;" and that the least
lime is found where "manufactured foods are stored and
in dead parts such as old wood." Without doubt, more
lime is used as a direct plant food than is generally sup-
posed, and it also has decidedly beneficial effects on
soil texture.

Lime makes clay soils more open and sandy soils more
compact. It aids in the decomposition of organic matter
through creating conditions favorable for the rapid mul-
tiplication of bacteria. It, in a measure, replaces potash
in unavailable soil compounds and often induces a union
with the phosphoric acid of insoluble iron phosphates,
thus bringing both potash and phosphoric acid into avail-
ability.

Because of this soil exhaustion it used to be said that
lime made "rich fathers and poor sons," but we now
have learned to reap the good and avoid the evil.

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 19

Conservation of Soil

While every effort should be made to induce bacterial
and chemical activity because of the effects upon the
general condition of the soil it must be remembered that
if a plant uses the released plant foods and is taken
away, or if the soluble plant foods are lost in the drain-
age waters, the land has given up just so much of its
resources. The wise manager keeps up or adds to the
natural humus content and applies the mineral elements
in the form of commercial fertilizers to replace more
than the amount used by the plant. He fertilizes his
crop, not the soil, giving extra amounts of the essential
especially lacking, thus providing certainly available
nourishment for his plants and constantly building up
a more fertile and better balanced soil.

In relation to the plant, soil should not be considered
as a pasture through which rootlets may pick their way,
gathering a morsel here and there, but instead, as a
comfortable environment providing shelter and abundant
supplies. In relation to its owner, soil should be con-
sidered as a bank. It is not how much we can get out
of the soil that affects our prosperity, but how much we
put in. The better the soil, the better the crops that can
be made from it, so the grower should always leave a
little more than he takes. The immediate profit should
come from the plants, which, if managed right, give us
so much for the little they take. In no way is the world
noted "American Improvidence" shown more forcibly
than in the widespread inattention to soil conservation
and upbuilding.

20 WILSON & TOOMKK FERTILIZER COMPANY

Chapter V

Starting the Grove

For the benefit of those who may not have read the
foregoing carefully I will indulge in a little recapitu-
lation.

Clear the land thoroughly; old stumps are in the way
of cultivation, create more or less acidity and invite
wood lice, which, at any time may conclude that they
prefer to live upon the tender young citrus trees.

Drainage is essential. There is absolutely no use in
trying to raise a profitable grove on water-soaked land.
Where Nature has not furnished this drainage, provide
for it before planting the trees. On such land as this
the grower reaps the greatest benefit from raising a crop
of cowpeas or velvet beans before setting his grove.

Liming the land will in almost every instance prove
a good investment and in most cases is really necessary
for profitable results, An application of two or three
tons per acre of crushed limestone is a most economical
and satisfactory way to meet this requirement. The
exceptions to needing lime would be in some limestone
regions and where there is a marl subsoil about a foot
below the surface. In such cases Nature has already
supplied the lime.

What to Plant — A grapefruit tree bears younger than
an orange tree, and since each fruit is so much larger.

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 21

the number of boxes is greatly increased when equal
numbers of fruit are borne. Much of the time grape-
fruit sells for more per box. The prospective grower
eat first thinks there can be no question as to his pref-
erence,— quicker returns on investment, less cost per box
for production, higher market, — all in favor of grape-
fruit. Then he learns that many others have come to
the same decision, and that at the present time there
are hundreds of acres more grapefruit than oranges not
yet in bearing. He considers that though grapefruit is
so popular as a breakfast food and the demand for it is
so deservedly increasing, nothing will ever appeal to the
human family like the orange, — oranges for breakfast,
dinner, and supper and between meals, nothing more
healthful or more appetizing, — and he will wisely decide
to have both of these delicious fruits.

Varieties — There are a bewildering number of varie-
ties, each with good points, but for strictly financial in-
vestment the choice rests with a few. I think however
enthusiastic anyone may be over some particular fruit,
all experienced growers will agree that the greater num-
ber of successes have been made from the varieties named
below.

The Duncan grapefruit is oblate in form, of medium
size, attractive in appearance and of fine flavor. It bears
freely but not in such close clusters as to mar the fruit.
It is desirable in every way.

The Parson Brown is an orange medium to large in
size, yellow in color, sometimes with orange tinge, rind

22 WILSON & TOOME'R FERTILIZER COMPANY

smooth and bright. It is matured in October and No-
vember and if it is not gathered soon, loses its flavor.
Often, the fruit will be ripe and sweet when the rind is
still green. ,

The Pineapple orange is oval to round in shape, of
medium to large size, has deep rich orange color, often
with reddish tinge. The rind is most attractive, being
very bright, smooth and glossy. The juice is abundant
and of exceptionally good flavor. Its season is about
January or February, but it can be held later. The new
groves set by old growlers show a very large percentage
of this variety.

The Valencia Late and Hart's Late are so near alike
their best friends make little or no distinction between
them. They are round or slightly oval in form, medium
to large in size, of deep golden color, with thin, smooth,
tough rind. They are very juicy and have a rich flavor
with such a combination of acidity and sweetness as to
be especially pleasing during the spring months, — March
to June, — when they are in season.

The Dancy tangerine is the most satisfactory orange
of the Mandarin family. It is oblate in form, medium
size, deep orange red, smooth, shiny rind which is easily
removed ; its sections separate readily and the flesh is
dark orange in color, coarse grained, juicy, and has
scarcely any rag. Flavor is rich, season December and
January.

Special favorites are generally planted for home pleas-
ure. The King of the Mandarin family is as delicious

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 23

as its exterior is unattractive. The Kuby Blood is most
luscious and is especially interesting because its flesh
is first yellow, then streaked with red and finally becomes
blood red when fully ripe. The Washington Navel is
also a novelty because of the secondary orange in the
blossom end, giving it the navel-like appearance, and
is delicious to the taste. Many other varieties have some
specially good points but are in some way not desirable
as commercial propositions.

Stock — The sour orange stock has proved itself best
adapted to all kinds of soil and most resistant to dis-
eases. It is almost immune to foot rot so prevalent on
sweet orange or rough lemon stock. Grapefruit stock
promises well and is highly favored by many, but it has
not been so thoroughly tested as the sour orange. It
roots extremely deep and is best suited to our ^higher
lands. So far there has not been shown to be any differ-
ence between grapefruit and sour orange stock as to
vigor of trees or quality of fruit.

Size — There is a difference in opinion as to the best
age of trees set. To the investor who has plenty of
capital it is a great temptation to pay a higher price
and get a nice, big tree with a two-year-old bud, but it
has been the experience of the greater number that a two-
or three-year-old stock with a one-year-old bud stands
transplanting better than the older trees, and when put
side by side will be larger and thriftier two years after
setting.

Nursery stock should be neither forced nor stunted

24 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

and should be grown on a lighter, drier soil than in the
proposed grove rather than on heavier, wetter land.

When to Set Trees — The best time to set trees is from
the middle of November to the middle of February,
though with proper handling it is safe to move an orange
tree at almost any time. Trees must be kept damp from
the taking-up until they are set in the ground. Many
a tree gets its death stroke between the nursery and the
grove, though it may struggle along some months before
it finally succumbs.

Pruning — Do not make the mistake of trying to keep
too much top. The top should be cut off about one and
a half or two feet above the ground. The roots should
be cut to about a foot in length, with the tap root about
one and a half feet. The ends should be cut smooth, not
broken or crushed.

Distance — There are many opinions in regard to what
is the most profitable space for a tree. My personal pref-
erence is to have orange trees twenty, and grapefruit
trees twenty-five feet apart in rows thirty feet wide.
When well grown the branches will meet in the rows,
but a team can pass between the rows. For economy and
effectiveness of labor, it is necessary to use teams, which
would be impossible in groves set much closer than this.
The closely set groves yield a much greater income the
first few years at least. Their advocates say they con-
tinue to do so, but all the owners of old closely set
groves I have seen, wish they had more space. Many
prospective growers have it figured out on paper that

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 25

they could afford to cut down every other tree when the
grove is eight or ten years old, but unfortunately, the
profits on citrus culture show to just the same advantage
on paper as compared with real practice as do the profits
on any other kind of business. The man who said "fig-
ures don't lie" never figured out any financial propo-
sition dependent upon labor and climatic conditions, and
then tried to make actual practice match his figures.

Final Preparation — Low ground should be plowed into
beds the width of the rows before setting the stakes to
mark places for the trees. Shallow cultivation should
immediately follow the plowing and be repeated after
every rain. The land should be left to settle at least
a month before planting. If some hard rains come, so
much the better. Care should be taken to set the stakes
exact, — in straight rows and equal distance apart.
Around each stake spread a peck of hardwood ashes.
When the hole is dug the ashes will become thoroughly
mixed with the soil.

Holes — Pull the dirt from around the stake with a
hoe, leaving the ground in the shape of an inverted sau-
cer, the bottom edge being a foot deep. Drive a stake
in the ground to make a hole for the tap root.

Setting the Trees — Place the tree in the hole and
spread the roots evenly. If a root is longer than the
width of the hole allows do not pinch off the end or
turn it to one side, as so many do, but dig out a place
for it to extend full length in a natural position. Set
the tree an inch higher than it was in the nursery as it

26 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

will settle some, and a tree set too low never prospers.
Pull part of the dirt over the roots and pour in a bucket
of water, holding the bucket at least two feet above the
ground so the water will fall with force. Pull more dirt
around the trees and pack tightly, mounding up a little
in the shape of a saucer. Pour on another bucket of
water and then mulch with dry dirt to prevent evapora-
tion. There should be no delay in the work from the
time the dirt is first disturbed until the mulching is in
place, thus preserving the natural moisture of the soil.

Care — The trees will need no further attention for
several weeks unless the season is especially dry, in
which case water should be given very sparingly until
the rains come. The dry mulch should be replaced each
time the trees are watered. Too much water will cause
the soil to sour and give the trees a serious setback.

Fertilizer — It will be noted that I advise no fertilizer
at time of planting. About the first of February, or
when the new growth starts, give each tree a pound of
a formula carrying about five per cent, bf ammonia, six
per cent, phosphoric acid and five per cent, potash, de-
rived from nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, tank-
age or Peruvian guano, superphosphate or dissolved bone-
black and sulphate of potash ; or, if the land is especially
low and heavy, use a strictly chemical formula carrying
less ammonia and more potash, — about a 4-6-8 analysis.

In June and September two more applications of one
pound of fertilizer can be made. The second year the
trees should use two pounds of fertilizer at each appli-

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 27

cation, and the third year three pounds. After this
the amount can be rapidly increased if the trees are
doing well, for the fourth year should find them com-
mencing to bear fruit.

Training — Generally speaking, the citrus tree knows
better how it wants to grow than does the one who in-
terferes with its development. It does not hurt it to
bear fruit young, as is the case with many other fruit
trees. All sprouts below the bud should be rubbed off,
but the sprouts above the bud should be left unless they
seem especially crowded, in which case it will be best
to pinch off the tops of some of the shoots. After the
trees get well started they may need "shaping up" a
little, but no extensive pruning should be done. Dead
wood is a great source of infection; if any occurs it
should be removed, the cut being made back to an elbow
and left a smooth slant.

Cultivation — Young trees should be hoed deep so as to
make the roots strike down. The middles can be plowed
in spring. Cultivation should be kept up all through
the dry season to conserve moisture. When the summer
rains commence the ground should be covered either with
natural growth of grass or weeds or a planted cover
crop. My personal choice of cover crops would be cow-
peas. This growth must not be allowed to "smother"
the roots of the trees. There should be a heavy mulch
of dead vegetation for at least three feet from the trunk.
This mulch must not touch the trunk of the tree or wood
lice will be likely to nest there. When the weather gets

28 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

cool the mulching should be drawn away to allow all
the warmth possible to reach the young roots. The cover
crop can either be allowed to die down naturally as the
season is over or be mowed and left broadcast to be
disked in before next plowing. Never work the soil when
saturated with water or during the heat of summer, and
never plow in green vegetation. These are three causes
for acid soils.

Insects and Diseases — If the above precautions are
taken in the preparation of land and its cultivation there
will likely be no diseases affecting the young trees, as
the troubles of young citrus trees are almost invariably
due to lack of care, but they must be watched closely
for insects. Sometimes ants or grasshoppers eat part
of the foliage and occasionally .there will be found a
great ugly worm called the "orange dog" which is a
voracious eater and makes a young tree look ragged in
a short time, but none of these troubles are likely to be
of any great moment.

The nests of the ants should be broken up by making
holes into them by thrusting down a pointed stick and
into each hole pouring a tablespoonful of bisulphide of
carbon (which is very inflammable), covering each hole
immediately with tightly packed earth. Grasshoppers
can be killed by scattering around the trees bait made
as follows : One part Paris green, two parts salt, forty
partfe horse manure by measure, and water sufficient to
make it soft without being sloppy. Grasshoppers show

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 29

a great fondness for moist horse manure. Orange dogs
must be hand picked.

The serious pest of young trees is the scale. Procure
a lens and examine any roughness found on trunk, twigs
or leaves. If whitefly is in your section that must be
controlled also. Luckily the same spray is effective for
both whitefly and scale, but the spray must be directed
to the infested areas. Whitefly lives on the under side
of the leaves ; scales are anywhere they happen to settle,
but are generally more numerous on the trunk and
branches. Both are sucking insects and must be killed
with contact insecticides. Yothers' Formula No. 3 is
the best mixture for this purpose known at the present
time, as it not only kills all the insects it hits but re-
mains on the trees several weeks in sufficient strength
to kill newly hatched larvae. It is made as follows:
Three measures Diamond Paraffine Oil, two of whale-oil
soap and one of water. While rapidly beating the soap
add the oil, a few drops at a time. It should form a
creamy emulsion. Gradually add the water as the beat-
ing is continued. Test for perfect emulsion by putting a
little in a glass of water. If free oil forms on the sur-
face the mixture must be beaten longer and perhaps a
little more soap added. When thoroughly emulsified use
one part of this stock solution to fifty parts of water.
To have the greatest effect spraying should be done soon
after the young are hatched.

Criticisms — The above is not the only way to set a
grove. Probably there is not a citrus grower in the State

30 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

but would differ from me in some particular; but I have
given what is a safe method for the inexperienced grove-
maker to follow. I would ask those who specially differ
to put the method they would propose to these two tests :
Would it suit general conditions, or is it specially
adapted to one particular locality? Could a person en-
tirely unacquainted with the nature of the citrus tree
successfully carry out the plan, or does it require the
judgment gained only from years of experience? An
experienced citrus grower can safely push young trees
much faster than a novice should attempt.

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 31

Chapter VI

What a Fertilizer Tag Means

Captain Rose, our efficient State Chemist, says : "A fer-
tilizer tag is intended to mean just what it says — how
many pounds of valuable plant food are contained in
the package, and what materials are used in its manu-
facture." This is the kernel of the nut. The fertilizer
tag means what it says, not what it implies. The word-
ing below is taken from a model tag.

W. &, T.'s

Special Mixture No. 1

Manufactured by

Wilson &, Toomer Fertilizer Co.

Manufacturers of the Celebrated "IDEAL FERTILIZERS"

200 POUNDS JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS

Moisture at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, not exceeding 8 per cent.

Available Phosphoric Acid, not less than 6 per cent.

Insoluble Phosphoric Acid, not less than 1 per cent.

Ammonia, actual and potential, not less than 5 per cent.

(Derived from Sulphate of Ammonia. Nitrate of Soda and Tankage)

Potash (K20) Water Soluble, not less than 5 per cent.

Chlorine, not exceeding 1 per cent.

This fertilizer is made from Sulphate of Ammonia, Nitrate of Soda,
Tankage, Superphosphate, and Sulphate of Potash.

It is well to pay attention to the brand name. Each
fertilizer company sends out many different formulas

32 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

suited to different purposes and the brand name is a
short, simple way to give full description of the exact
formula. It means certain proportions of certain mate-
rials as shown on the tag attached to the fertilizer sack.

The name of the manufacturers means just what they
have made it mean. Like all classes of people, some natu-
rally want to give their customers a fair deal, others
see the policy in doing so, while others skim just as,
near to the edge of the law as they dare. Florida is to
be congratulated on the high standard maintained by
her fertilizer people and on the means she has taken to
protect honest manufacturers and the consumers, but
it is not alone honesty that determines the value of
the manufacturer's name. Analysis and sources deter-
mine the market value of fertilizer, but the practical
value is largely influenced by proportions and combina-
tions. Some manufacturers are keener than others to
see just what gives best results or will work harder to
bring those results about. The personal factor has the
same influence in the fertilizer business as in everything
else.

The number of pounds tells the amount put into the
sack at the time of filling.

The guaranteed analysis tells the amount of actual
plant food, the moisture content as an indicator of physi-
cal condition, and the chlorine content to protect the
grower of such crops as are harmed by chlorine.

The fertilizer is sold on the basis of its actual content
of phosphoric acid, ammonia and potash. Six per cent.

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 33

of phosphoric acid means that six pounds of the actual
phosphoric acid are in every hundred pounds of fertilizer,
or 120 pounds in every ton. When the grower first looks
into this he is likely to reckon up the actual plant food,
which on the above tag would amount to 340 pounds
and begin to talk about 16GO pounds filler. He will "buy
his fertilizer materials and mix them himself before he
will pay for so much sand !" But when he begins to
figure on these fertilizer materials he finds that to get the
120 pounds phosphoric acid he must buy 750 pounds
superphosphate, that his sources of ammonia run from
6^ to 25 per cent., and that high-grade sulphate of potash
carries only 49 per cent, actual plant food. In fact,
that the materials necessary to supply this analysis
easily make up the 2000 pounds.

The buyer should note whether the term "Available
Phosphoric Acid" is used and not accept a guarantee of
"Phosphoric Acid" or "Total Phosphoric Acid" alone un-
less the source is of an organic nature, — tankage, bone,
guano, etc. One exception to this rule would be in the
case of Thomas Phosphate Powder, as it is always sold
under guarantee of total phosphoric acid, but this mate-
rial is seldom used in formulas. After taking this pre-
caution, he can be assured he is getting all the plant food
represented for "woe be unto" the manufacturer giving
short measure. Captain Kose and his inspectors would
catch up with him before he got well started in such
methods.

But in the last paragraph there are sometimes pitfalls

34 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

for the unwary. You will note on this model tag there
is a distinct statement in regard to the materials used.
It gives definite information. If in addition to this state-
ment there were the words "and other ingredients" the
whole guarantee of its sources would be practically
broken down, for any of the sources named 'could be used
in small quantities and any "other ingredients" suited
to the manufacturer's convenience could be used. It
would be possible under this wording to supply a largely
organic fertilizer under seemingly purely chemical repre-
sentation, or vice versa. Or again, if in place of "tank-
age" the words "organic matter" were used, that organic
matter could be tankage or guano to be sure, but it also
could be any organic material supplying available am-
monia, from treated garbage or leather and wool waste
to all forms of vegetable matter, — cotton seed meal, cas-
tor meal, etc. The tag "means what it says."

But what is back of the tag? Not only the manufac-
turer but the State. Our fertilizer law is very strict and
closely followed up by the State officials. Inspectors
are constantly over the State, drawing samples from fer-
tilizers offered for sale. Any sack of fertilizer sent out,
even to the most remote flag station, is likely to come
within their investigations. Besides this there is a pro-
vision for "Special Samples" which can be drawn by
the consumer and sent to the State Laboratory for analy-
sis free of cost. To protect the manufacturer there are
certain "rules and regulations (sent by the Department
of Agriculture, Tallahassee), under which this sample

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 35

must be drawn, but they are easy to follow and there
is no excuse for the buyer to be in doubt as to whether
he is getting a "square deal." Florida is the only State
giving her citizens this protection which is equally valu-
able to manufacturers and consumers.

Who pays for this inspection? The manufacturer pri-
marily,, as he buys the stamps and affixes them, but
eventually the consumer, as in everything else. The cost
is very slight per ton, — only twenty-five cents, — but
since 183,437.84 tons of commercial fertilizer were used
in the State in 1011 the aggregate of stamp sales for fer-
tilizer was the tidy sum of $45,859.46.

In Captain Rose's Eeport for 1909, he shows that under
this law which was first enforced in 1901, the goods put
upon the market increased in actual value more than
ten per cent., many unreliable brands being driven from
the State. In the year 1909 this ten per cent, of the
selling price of fertilizer together with feeds, which are
protected in the same way, amounted to $657,840. That
is, the consumers of fertilizers and feeds in Florida were
given $657,840 more for their money than they would
have received had the law not been enacted. The stamps
for this year cost the consumers $56,792, leaving over
$600,000 clear gain in a single year.

The sale of inspection stamps for fertilizer and feed
in 1912 amounted to $82,820.55 and the inspection cost
the State $15,257.41, leaving a credit to the General
Revenue Fund of $67,563.14.

36 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

The agriculturist pays this in the main, for he uses
all fertilizer and the greater share of the feed. Yet
with all this surplus he is very modest in his demands
upon the State Funds.

He needs to have his workers at the State Experiment
Station better paid, so that other States cannot take them
from us when they reach the point where they can be of
greatest service. He needs more funds to print matter
that has been compiled for his benefit, — matter of untold
value to him that is lying in manuscript inactive upon the
shelves. He needs more workers, for there are problems
of immense economic value that are unconsidered for
lack of men. He needs more Farmers' Institutes, a
yearly demonstration train, support for the Horticul-
tural Society that is, and the Agricultural and Live Stock
Societies that ought to be. He needs the work of nur-
sery inspection enlarged and a horticultural law suiting
our conditions gradually built up and enforced. He
needs, — oh, there is no use trying to tell all the ways
the grower could use his own money to advantage since
he is willing to let other folks use it for him. I am
no politician, but even I wonder at our energetic talk
about laws, the apathy we show in getting them enacted,
and the utter disregard we have of any provision for
enforcing them if they are passed. See, this trait is in
us all, but I am going back to fertilizers.

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 37

Chapter VII
Home Mixing

We were speaking of the grower considering the matter
of mixing his own fertilizer. Personally, I place home
mixing of fertilizers on the same level as making one's
own furniture, tools, clothes, sugar, soap, etc. In the
twenty-one years I lived on the farm here in Florida
there was no "home mixing" or "special mixtures" used
or even straight- chemicals with the exception of a little
nitrate of soda. I always did believe in taking all I
could get for nothing. When I can get the experience
of many people for many years and all the excellence
of expert work for no addition on cost of material, I
take it.

Aside from the trouble that may come from improper
combinations and proportions, chemical analyses show
that even though home mixing be done according to the
best directions, the results are far from uniform; — that
labor with the equipment of the farm cannot compete
with the efficiency of a modern factory. H. C. Moore of
Atlanta, Ga., has given this subject an extensive study.
His compilation of analyses from crude mixing facili-
ties is most interesting. For instance, four different
samples of a should-be 0-2-3 formula run from 8.18 to
15.35 per cent, available phosphoric acid, from .56 to
2.81) per cent, ammonia, and from .43 to 3.27 per cent, of

38 WILSON & TOOMEK FERTILIZER COMPANY

potash. We can only imagine what a great number
of samples would have shown. He rightly says "A
planter surely cannot expect to get uniform results from
application of such poorly mixed fertilizers."

He calls up a further point, that fertilizer materials
have such different weights they do not stay mixed unless
properly ground and combined together. He gives the
weight per cubic foot of some of the most common mate-
rials as follows : Superphosphate, 60 Ibs. ; blood, 30 Ibs. ;
tankage, 45 Ibs.; nitrate of soda, 85 Ibs.; sulphate of
ammonia, 55 Ibs.; sulphate of potash, 80 Ibs. When
merely mixed the heavier materials gradually settle
toward the bottom.

It is best for all users of fertilizers to learn all they
can about different fertilizer materials, and I will go
into detail on that subject later, but such knowledge is
necessary far more for the purpose of selecting proper
formulas than for the creating of formulas, for when
the different materials are mixed together their action
on each other must be considered as well as upon the
plant and the soil.

To my mind, there could not be a better argument
for mixed formulas than the tank experiments carried
on at Gainesville. From them we find a great waste of
nitrates — greater by far when nitrate of soda was used,
but alarming even from sulphate of ammonia. Both
for the prosperity of the plant and for economy, it is a
feasible conclusion that a gradually available supply is
better than any one particular source. An exception

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 39

to this would be in formulas carrying low content of
ammonia, especially in cool weather when bacterial ac-
tion is slower, but generally speaking, I would choose
two or three sources of ammonia.

Who knows just how much of these sources should be
used to guard against starving periods and waste? Some
men in the State can watch their crops and tell from
time to time just what plant food they need, and from
this experience can order special mixtures suited to their
needs, but they are few. Some citrus growers pre-
fer to feed their trees "piece meal" as it might be called,
— a little nitrate of soda now, or perhaps some sulphate
of ammonia, some dissolved boneblack or superphosphate
later, and at another time some sulphate of potash.
Some of the finest of groves are fertilized in this way,
but they are not one bit finer than some other groves
that never have had anything but straight commercial
formulas, and the men have had a great deal of unneces-
sary thought and execution. My contention is not at
all that no grower knows how to feed his crops, but that
only a few have given the matter sufficient attention to
get the best results in this way and that these few could
turn their time to better use financially. If, as is the
case with many, the work is a matter of pleasure, that
alters the matter entirely. Besides enjoying himself,
such a man adds to the State's assets, for the greater
number of the most successful commercial formulas come
from just such origin and the one who buys them has
the benefit of the other man's work. But I write to the

40

WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

great majority, — those who are particularly interested
in the financial side of the matter. They do not have
time or inclination to become experts in the use of plant
food and to attain the greatest financial success should
be as ready to secure the benefits of expert fertilizer pro-
duction as to use the product of other manufacturers.

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 41

Chapter VIII

Effect of the Different Elements

All forms of nitrogen are legally reckoned as ammo-
nia, phosphorus as phosphoric acid, and potassium as
potash. I fear an account of the exact difference in these
forms would be tedious, so in speaking of these elements
I will simply call them by their trade names and not
make nice distinctions for the sake of being chemically
exact.

Ammonia promotes growth ; phosphoric acid, general
development and fruiting, and potash hardens the plant
and gives to the fruit color, flavor and firmness of tex-
ture. All three are important in all plant functions,
either being a constituent of or intimately associated
with the protoplasm, which is the jelly-like substance
just within the^ cell walls — the real living part of the
plant.

Ammonia forms about sixteen per cent, of the proto-
plasm and "regulates the growth of the \vhole plant,"
while "without phosphorus, protoplasm could not exist,"
and potash influences the "formation and activity of pro-
toplasm."

Ammonia is also a "prominent constituent of chloro-
phyl," — the substance which gives the green color to
plants, and which is so active in the "digestion" of plant
food elements.

42 WILSON & TOOMKK FERTILIZES COMPANY

Phosphoric Acid acts particularly as a catalyzer or
digestor of other compounds, and in connection with pot-
ash, magnesia and lime acts in the translocation of plant
food. Phosphoric acid is especially essential in seed de-
velopment and by this action tends to early maturing
of fruit.

Potash and lime give strength to cell walls. Potash
is necessary in the formation of starch, sugar, and cel-
lulose,— the fibrous part of plants, — though it is not a
constituent of these compounds; and it is potash which
gives the tartness so desirable in all fruit to relieve in-
sipidity. Potash is needed for the development of flesh
on "fleshy" fruits and to give this flesh "good shipping
qualities."

Proportions — So long as right proportions are main-
tained, the plant will develop properly however much
(within reason) plant food it has at hand, but unbal-
anced proportions are detrimental.

Too great a proportion of nitrogen makes the growth
soft and flabby and very susceptible to disease. Too
little limits all activity, — growth of plant, blooming, or
development of fruit, — and is likely to show especially
in small leaves and "off color," either a pale green or a
more or less deep tinge of yellow.

Too great a proportion of phosphoric acid makes the
leaves small, profuse bloom, and the fruit mature while
yet undersized. Too little shows in the "mottled leaf,"
scant blooming, and lack of general vigor and develop-
ment.

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 43

Too great a proportion of potash makes small foliage
and hard, brittle wood, and checks prolificness. Too
little leaves the plant and fruit soft in texture, therefore
susceptible to disease and decay, limits the starch or
sugar content and causes a lack of any high color which
may be natural to the fruit.

Lime is used as mentioned above in strengthening the
cell walls and translocation of plant food, for which it
is most essential, but its greatest effect upon the plant
is indirectly through establishing good soil conditions.
We have already taken that up except that the presence
of lime causes a profuse development of root hairs which
increases the plant's power to feed.

Magnesia is closely associated with lime. It is one
of the plant essentials, vet it is actually noxious to plants
even in small quantities unless accompanied by lime in
a ratio of about 2:1. Magnesia is important in the de-
velopment of seed, acts with the protoplasm in assimi-
lating phosphates, and is a constituent of chlorophyl.
Those who wish to study this element further should
send to United States Dept. of Agriculture, Washington,
D. C., for Bulletin No. 1, Bureau of Plant Industry : "The
delation of Lime and Magnesia to Plant Growth."

Sulphur is a constituent of the protoplasm and also
of plant protein, — that is the nitrogenous compounds,
"Its action is important," many plants using more sul-
phur than phosphorus.

Iron is necessary for formation of chlorophyl, though
no iron compound is found in either protoplasm or chlo-

44 AVILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

rophyl. It is highly important, but used in such infini-
tesimal quantities Nature always has sufficient available
iron at hand. Van Slyke says : "No direct evidence has
yet been furnished to show that the application of iron
compounds has any beneficial effect on either color or
yield of fruit."

Chlorine and Sodium- are not essentials to plant life,
but are invariably found in the plant. Beyond a certain
amount they are harmful, some crops being much* more
sensitive to their effects than others. These two elements
combined form our common salt.

Manganese is not an essential and is of so little im-
portance many authorities do not mention its connec-
tion with plant life, though a trace of it is generally
found in all plants. In certain parts of the world (where
lava abounds) it has been studied because its presence
has so bad an effect on plants. It destroys the chlo-
ropliyl, disturbs the balance of other elements, especially
decreasing the assimilation of phosphoric acid, inter-
feres with formation of protoplasm, etc. This is fully
explained in Bulletin No. 26, Hawaii Agricultural Ex-
periment Station: "The Function and Distribution of
Manganese in Plants and Soils." This bulletin can be
obtained from United States Dept. of Agriculture, Wash-
ington, D. C., but I can assure all that they need neither
endeavor to build up the manganese content of their
soil nor fear they will get too much manganese here in
Florida.

Fads come and go, — only our real needs endure. A

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 45

few years ago there was much talk about iron; now it
is scarcely mentioned, but some of us are almost won-
dering how we ever grew any crops at all when so igno-
rant of magnesia and manganese ! The fact is, we do
not want manganese, and though our soils are low in
both lime and magnesia content, the low-grade sulphate
of potash which carries two-thirds as much sulphate of
magnesia as sulphate of potash, has supplied any needed
magnesia, while the sulphate of lime in superphosphate
and dissolved boneback has kept up the proper ratio
of lime for plant food. It is not necessary that the lime
for this purpose be basic. Properly mixed formulas
supply all such needs. When people study the sub-
ject thoroughly they appreciate what one man said :
"The man who knows enough to mix his own formulas
knows enough not to."

Common Sense is as effective in the field as in the
home. Nature furnishes easy ways to preserve her bal-
ance and it is only when man interferes too much that
trouble comes. Did our plants have to depend upon our
supplying the exact amounts of everything necessary,
they would be in as bad a fix as the people who continu-
ally try so-called scientific diets.

Practice has shown that on our table we should have
reasonable proportions of meat and vegetables, sweets
and fats, and that in our fields, crops prosper when
available ammonia, phosphoric acid and potash are added
in proper proportions. In the carriers of these essen-
tials and in the air and the soil are all other essentials,

46 WILSON' & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

and the protoplasm, that living substance within the cell
walls, is going to use them as the need occurs. The
grower sometimes rebels at getting only (for instance)
sixteen pounds of plant food in a hundred pounds of
material, but often in that other eighty-four pounds lie
gets the very thing that he would have.missed applying
had it all been left to him, and perhaps it is a most
important factor in his success. What is, is generally
about right. Only a few of us could really improve ( ?)
upon conditions were they all within our control.

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 47

Chapter IX

Fertilizer Materials

Peruvian Guano carries ammonia, phosphoric acid,
potash, and lime, which are readily but gradually avail-
able. It is of organic origin but so old and thoroughly
decomposed it forms no acid by-products. It is a great
soil builder and a valuable material for the use of
those who want untreated materials of alkaline ten-
dency. Peruvian guano carries about fourteen per cent,
lime, which is soon left basic, being in organic com-
pounds.

Sulphate of Ammonia is inorganic. It is the best
gradually available source of ammonia the citrus grower
has at his command, and is equally valuable to truckers
and other users of fertilizer as a source between nitrates
and organic matter. It tends to soil acidity, which can
be corrected by using lime. As sulphate of ammonia is
used in mixed formulas, its acid tendency is balanced
by the alkaline tendency of nitrate of soda.

Nitrate of Soda is inorganic, carrying ammonia in a
form available to plants, therefore is ready as soon as
it is dissolved. It dissolves in an equal part of water,
thus will be active when no other fertilizer material
could reach the plant. It has an alkaline tendency.
Loss of nitrates is serious unless there is such supply
as to allow the plant to use them before they sink be-
yond reach of the roots. This leaching is not so rapid

48 WILSON & TOOMKR FERTILIZER COMPANY

in clay lands, but where the entire ammonia content of
fertilizer used on clay is derived from nitrate of soda
the accumulations of sodium will be enough to pack the
soil. Keasonable amounts have no deleterious effects,
and such results never occur on open lands because
sodium compounds leach away so rapidly.

Nitrate of Potash is organic. The nitrate has the
same properties as described in nitrate of soda, and
the potash the same as will be shown under sulphate
of potash, but this material does not dissolve quite as
readily as nitrate of soda. As plants use both elements,
nitrate of potash is a neutral compound in its action.
It is used in many manufactures and its market price
is far in advance of its true worth to the grower.

Cyanamid is often called lime nitrogen. It is inor-
ganic. Its plant food is in the form of nitrogen and
must be changed to ammonia and then to nitrates be-
fore it becomes available to the plant. The other part
consists largely of lime and carbon and of some com-
pounds of iron, silicon, etc. Some cyanamids have a
nitrate mixed with them to furnish plant food wrhile
the slower cyanamid is coming into availability.

Calcium Nitrate, like cyanamid, is a combination of
air nitrogen with lime, but in this instance the nitrogen
is in the form of nitrate and therefore an immediate
plant food. Calcium nitrate, often called lime nitrate,
is so soluble it becomes liquid when exposed to moist air.
This is, in a measure, prevented by adding lime to a
hot solution of calcium nitrate, making "basic calcium

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 49

nitrate/7 carrying only about 12 per cent, ammonia in-
stead of the 15 to 17 per cent, as in the commercially
pure calcium nitrate. In both cyanamid and calcium ni-
trate the acid radical is used by the plant and the lime
left as a neutralizer.

Dried Blood is organic — a packing house by-product.
It carries its ammonia in form of nitrogen, but the ma-
terial is so finely divided and so congenial to bacteria it
becomes available fully as soon as sulphate of ammonia.
All organic sources are soil builders, but with the excep-
tion of Peruvian guano and tobacco stems, they are at-
tended with more or less acidity, — animal products less
than vegetable matter, and dried blood least of all animal
products.

Tankage is organic, — a packing house by-product,
carrying both ammonia and phosphoric acid. Its am-
monia is in form of nitrogen and is a little more slowly
available than sulphate of ammonia. This is a valuable
material for use in mixed formulas with nitrate of soda
and sulphate of ammonia. About half its phosphoric acid
is available when applied, and the rest soon comes into
availability through the decomposition of organic matter.
There are, ordinarily, at least three grades of tankage
on the market, some carrying more actual plant food than
the others, but every particle of tankage is of value to
the grower as a soil builder. See Dried Blood as to acid
tendency.

Ground Fish Scrap is organic. It carries ammonia
and phosphoric acid in same form as tankage. It should

50 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

never be vised in the orange grove. It is a fine fertilizer
for vegetables but greatly induces cutworms.

Sheep Manure is organic, and carries most of its am-
monia in the form of nitrogen/ It has much the same
effect on soil as stable manure with two exceptions : It
has been sterilized, therefore carries no weed seeds or
germs of fungous or bacterial diseases, and is repulsive
to soil insects instead of attractive to them.

Ground Bone, Raw or Steamed, is organic and carries
ammonia and phosphoric acid. The ammonia is in form
of nitrogen. About one-third of the phosphoric acid is
available at time of application, but the rest becomes
available gradually as the organic matter decomposes.
Bone tends to sweeten land.

Pulverized Tobacco Stems though from vegetable
source, are so dry and of such nature as to produce no
fermentation during decomposition. They carry am-
monia and potash in vegetable compounds that are
especially pleasing to plant life. The nicotine content
makes this material distasteful to worms, but only in
quite liberal applications will this be strong enough for
practical results. Their high cost is the great drawback
to extensive use.

Cotton Seed Meal is organic, carrying ammonia in the
form of nitrogen. It is a fine fertilizer on cold wet lands,
as its decomposition is attended by so much heat. For
this same reason it burns crops on lighter, drier soil. It
has a tendency toward producing coarse fibrous vegeta-
tion and a strong attraction for soil insects. Cotton seed

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 51

meal is expensive compared with other fertilizer mate-
rials and really should be used for stock feed, as about
ninety per cent, of its fertilizing value will be found in
the manure, — that is, if the manure is properly saved.

Castor Meal is organic, carrying ammonia in form of
nitrogen. It has practically the same availability and
value as a soil builder as cotton seed meal but is not so
burning and is repulsive to insects, therefore is to be
preferred as a fertilizer material.

Dissolved Bone Black — Though this material was once
bone, the organic matter has been entirely burned out
and it is a strictly inorganic fertilizer. It is the same
as superphosphate except it carries no iron and alum-
inum.

Superphosphate carries phosphoric acid in water solu-
ble form, which is immediately fixed by chemical reac-
tion, though still perfectly available to plants. When the
phosphoric acid is used by a plant the lime combined
with it is left to sweeten the soil. This amounts to about
six per cent., but about sixteen per cent, more lime, is
in the sulphate of lime intermingled with the phosphate.
This sulphate of lime acts neither as base nor plant
food, but brings latent plant food, especially potash,
into availability. The lime in the sulphate also acts in
preserving the two to one ratio between lime and mag-
nesia. With the phosphate and sulphate of lime there
about one-and-a-half per cent, iron and aluminum
which are neither beneficial nor detrimental. Superphos-
phate is the most economical source of phosphoric acid

52 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

at the growers' command. It furnishes phosphoric acid
in a certainly available form and has no deleterious
effects. This statement is backed by scientists. It
really would be well for growers to recognize the value
of their own state product rather than to be led by
interested people to lay to this material ills that be-
fall their groves. It has been seen the phosphate has
a slight sweetening tendency, and the only way sul-
phate of lime has an acid tendency is by combining
with soil compounds to form sulphate of potash. When
the plant uses the potash the sulphuric radical is left
to unite with another base. This is easily supplied
by crushed limestone for less than a twenty-fifth of
what the potash would cost. I have previously ex-
plained that were this base not supplied the sulphuric
radical would take the base from weaker acids and the
resulting acidity would not be free sulphuric acid. I
have gone into detail about superphosphate because there
is so much wrong information being circulated.

Thomas Phosphate Powder (Basic Slag) is inorganic,
carrying phosphoric acid, about one-third of which is
available though not water soluble. The rest of the phos-
phoric acid may become available if the soil is acid or
very rich in humus. There is about thirty to thirty-five
per cent, of calcium, most of which is combined with
phosphoric acid and silica. This will act with mag-
nesia, but less than five per cent, is basic lime until the
phosphoric acid is used by the plant. The iron content,
as showrn above, is of no value. The magnesia would be

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 53

of slight value were this element not fully supplied by
the low grade sulphate of potash, and the manganese
would be harmful were there enough to make any dif-
ference, but there is not, so the buyer can be assured that
none of these elements are going to hurt or benefit him
and reckon the phosphate powder worth just what its
content of phosphoric acid and lime is worth to him. Be-
ing inorganic this material is not a soil builder. It has
an alkaline tendency.

High Grade Sulphate of Potash is inorganic, carrying
water soluble potash which is immediately fixed in the
soil in form available to plants. When the potash is used
by the plant the sulphuric radical is left to seek another
base. Sulphate of potash is practically the only source
of potash at the citrus growers' command, but few for-
mulas derive their entire potash content from the high
grade.

Low Grade Sulphate of Potash — Since several have
written to ask, it may be well to state that "double sul-
phate of potash magnesia77 is simply another name for
our old friend low grade sulphate of potash, which is the
standard source of potash supply. This material carries
about half as much sulphate of potash as the high grade,
and has about thirty-four per cent, sulphate of magnesia,
which was taken up under Fads.

Muriate of Potash and Kainit carry potash in water
soluble form but have a high content of chlorine. Citrus
trees are sensitive to the ill effects of chlorine. Vegeta-
bles generally are not. Chlorine is repulsive to soil in-

54 WILSON & TOOMKIl FKKTILIZER COMPANY

sects. About one-third of kainit is common salt, hence
its burning properties.

Canada Hardwood Ashes carry a small content of pot-
ash in most desirable form, and about 33^ per cent, basic
lime. They are expensive as a source of plant food and
neutralizer, but owing to their physical form often have
a peculiar and beneficial effect on the soil. At times noth-
ing else will quite take the place of ashes.

Land Plaster or Gypsum — This is sulphate of lime,
which is fully described under Superphosphate.

Acid in Fertilizers — Several letters have come to me
asking if it is true that "ordinary fertilizers contain from
100 to 150 pounds of free acid in a ton." For the benefit
of those who have not written, I will say, no chemist
wrould uphold such statement. Fertilizers are either neu-
tral or practically neutral when applied, and have acid
or alkaline tendencies according to the portion — base or
radical — used by the plant. Often the alkaline tendency
of one material balances the acid tendency of another
in a formula, some formulas being quite alkaline in their
general effects. It is true that practically our only
source of potash and only slow-acting source of ammonia
for citrus trees have acid tendencies, but since this can
be easily and cheaply counter-balanced by limestone, we
need feel no concern. We also may bear in mind that
most of our soils w^ere acid before they ever had a pound
of fertilizer, while as to the fertilizer, — did it contain
free sulphuric acid, the bags, tools, and hands of the

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 55

user would all be eaten as only glass and lead can with-
stand its attacks.

What Makes Soil Acid? This could be answered in
three words, — Lack of Lime, — for there is no form of
acidity that would not be corrected by the presence of
basic lime; but a list of acid-producing causes will not
be out of place:

Decaying of roots left when clearing away virgin
growth.

Lack of drainage.

Turning under of green vegetation.

Cultivating land when too wet, especially in hot
weather.

Burning sun on bare, moist soil.

Natural leaching away of the small lime content com=
mon to most Florida soils.

Leaching — "Ammonia" leaches away as soon as it be-
comes actual plant food unless used by plants, but the
loss of phosphoric acid and potash is insignificant. Lime,
sodium, and magnesia all leach away rapidly.

56 WILSON & TOOMKK FERTILIZER COMPANY

Chapter X

Plant Constituents

Plants of all kinds, whether garden vegetables or fruit
trees,. are alike in their constituents and mode of growth.
Though other elements are shown by chemical analyses,
the essentials for plant growth have been found to be
oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, sulphur,
potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium; or, as Brooks
puts it : -"Air to breathe and water to drink ; four acids,—
carbonic, nitric, phosphoric, and sulphuric; and four
bases, — potash, lime, iron, and magnesia."

Air

Oxygen — The plant uses oxygen in two forms: Com-
bined oxygen which enters the plant through the roots in
connection \vith other elements which are used in the
form of oxides and the free oxygen of the air. This latter
is absorbed by all living plant surfaces, but more abun-
dantly by leaves and tender growing parts. Free oxygen
in the soil is essential to plant life (except swamp vegeta-
tion) : Germinating seeds require an abundance and
when roots are deprived of air the plants soon suffocate
and die. The absorption of oxygen is accompanied by a
giving off of carbonic acid gas — a product of the breaking
down of living matter worn out by the "energy of grow-
ing" and of parts going to decay, as in injured tissues or
faded flowers. This process is called "respiration."

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 57

Carbonic Acid Gas — -Carbon is the element which is
most abundant in the dry matter of vegetation, its
amount being about equal to all others combined. Though
carbon dioxid exists in great quantities in all fertile soils
and has a far-reaching influence on fertility, the carbon
used by plants is taken from the carbonic acid gas of the
air. This is absorbed by the leaves and other green tissues
and through the action of the green matter (chlorophyl)
under the influence of sunlight is combined with the
hydrogen and oxygen of water to make starch, sugar,
acids, oils, gums, etc., and cellulose — the substance in cell
walls. This process of the formation of plant food from
carbon dioxid and water and the throwing off of the un-
used oxygen is called "photosynthesis." It is the reverse
of respiration, and since the plant's activities are much
greater in photosynthesis than in respiration, vegetation
removes from the air far more carbon dioxid than it
gives off, and gives off far more oxygen than it uses,
thereby purifying the air for animal life, which, on the
contrary, uses oxygen in great quantities and gives off
carbonic acid gas.

Water

It has been seen that the elements of water play an im-
portant part in the formal ion of different vegetable com-
pounds, but the uncombined water in plants is equally
important. The rigidity of tender vegelalion is due to

58 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

its water content. Cut a succulent branch, and how soon
it becomes limp and wilted ! Plants cannot carry on the
process of growing without sufficient water content, as
all cells must be properly extended, and, too, water must
be the carrier of all substances within the plant.

How Plants Feed — There are no openings into the
roots, nor from cell to cell ; all plant food, whether in
raw or digested state, being moved in solution by osmosis
and diffusion. Osmosis means the passing of liquids or
gases through a membrane in accordance to Nature's law
that the density of the divided substances be equalized.
Diffusion means the "spreading out" of each particular
substance in solution to make the solution of that sub-
stance of equal strength throughout. Much has been said
about the plant's "power to select," but the best author-
ities now agree in the opinion that roots have no power
to reject anything dissolved in the soil water, regardless
of how harmful it may be to the plant. However, plants
grow according to definite law, each plant developing
along the lines of its own particular family. Soil solu-
tions are very dilute. Normally, the plant sap is denser
than the soil water, though the sap seldom is heavier
than one pound of solid matter to sixty gallons of water.
While osmosis causes the more dilute solution to move to
the denser one, diffusion tends to equalize throughout the
solution the amount of each substance dissolved. The
leaves (and in a lesser degree all live plant surfaces) are
constantly giving off water — a process similar to evapora-
tion, but called "transpiration." This tends to concen-

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 59

trate the sap in these areas, therefore, the osmotic move-
ment is (under normal conditions) ever upward. Plants
vary, but it is estimated that they average to lift three
hundred twenty-five pounds water for every pound of
dry matter grown. Now, since the soil water must
enter the plants with its varied solutions, it would
seem that there were danger of harmful accumulation
of matter not used by the plant, but here is where diffu-
sion comes to the rescue. I will quote from King : "The
loss of water by evaporation through the surface of the
plant or the consumption of it as food, which tends to
make the strength of the solution of those substances not
used as food stronger, cannot result in a permanent in-
crease of them in the plant, because, unless these sub-
stances are actually taken out of solution, they travel
back toward the roots again and escape into the soil
water so long as the solution inside is stronger than is
that outside."

Perhaps further distinction should be made between
plants using and needing different elements. Certain
elements named under the heading "Plant Constituents"
are needed because the plant cannot grow without them.
Other elements — chlorine, silicon and sodium, the first
two forming acids and the last being a base — are in-
variably found in plants grown under normal conditions ;
and still other elements such as manganese sometimes
occur. These last elements are used but are not needed,
as the plant could grow equally well without them.

60 WILSON & TOOMKU FKKTILIZKU COMPANY

The Plant

In the foregoing the plant has appeared largely as a
lay figure subject to mechanical law, but we must realize
that this is true only to a certain extent. Life is some-
thing none of us can define, but it exists as truly in the
vegetable as in the animal kingdom, and we will find not
only family but individual characteristics. The grower
is not all-powerful, but by studying these characteristics
and developing the good, strengthening the weak, and
repressing the bad, he can accomplish much toward bring-
ing about ideal results.

Plants consist of three distinct parts : roots, stem, and
leaves.

Stem — The stem is principally a connecting link be-
tween the roots and the leaves, and a frame work upon
which the leaves are displayed to air and sunlight; but
more or less respiration and transpiration is going on
and the surface should be kept clean of either vegetable
or animal parasites that clog the pores (lenticels) inter-
fering with proper functioning as Avell as actually ab-
stracting support from the tissues of the host.

Roots— While the stem grows in all its parts, roots
lengthen in only a small^area just behind the little hard
cap which protects the point. It is only in this new area
that osmosis occurs, for the tissues soon become clogged.
The plant develops these feeding roots where moisture
and food are to be found. When it is growing rapidly they
are more numerous and the feeding surfaces are vastly

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 61

increased by a growth of delicate root hairs. Generally
speaking, a cutting or tearing of the roots works great
damage to the plant, and every effort the plant has to
make to push its root through compacted infertile soil
in search of sustenance takes just so much from the net
profit. For best results the soil must allow free root
movement and provide the needed air and water. Koots
take in free oxygen and give oif carbonic acid gas. This
carbonic acid gas is absorbed by the film of water
around the^ adjoining soil grain. The water thus charged
has great solvent powers and much natural plant food is
in this way brought into availability. A deep, wide root
system is of untold benefit to a plant as it gives so large
an area from which to absorb water and with it the nour-
ishment held in solution. To secure such a root system,
put the soil in good mechanical condition, spread the ap-
plied plant food in a circle reaching from not too near
the stem out a little beyond the outermost branches and
while the plant is young cultivate deep enough to pre-
vent the establishment of surface roots.

Leaves — The leaves are both the stomach and the lungs
of a plant. Their digestive powers depend upon the green
coloring matter. Too much emphasis cannot be placed
upon the importance of leaves being in good condition.
Some crops require less foliage than others, but no crop
reaches the maximum when its leaves are covered with
parasites or are pale from starvation or because of physi-
ological disturbances.

Protoplasm — All parts of the plant are made up of

62 WILSON & TOOMKR FERTILIZER COMPANY

cells. These cells are of different sizes and shapes accord-
ing to the work they have to do. They consist of the
cell wall, in which is the protoplasm, a semi-liquid jelly-
like substance surrounded by a thin, strong elastic mem-
brane. This protoplasm is the living substance of the
plant. In it the chemical changes take place — the break-
ing down of different compounds ; the formation of vari-
ous vegetable substances, — starch, sugar, etc. ; and the
use of these substances to the plant's best advantage.
The work within the plant is very intricate and is not
thoroughly understood by anyone, but it will serve our
purpose to consider that the soil water enters the roots,
rises to the leaves where it is elaborated (digested), and
returns by way of the inner bark to the different parts of
the plant where it is needed.

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 63

Chapter XI

Fertility

Perhaps the most important lesson for the prospective
grower to learn is that fertile soil is not an inert mass
but, instead, is teeming with living organisms too small
to be seen with the unaided eye but of inestimable value.
Then he must also learn that there are other organisms
just as ready and powerful to work against him if soil
conditions are allowed which are favorable to their de-
velopment. These micro-organisms (called "micro" be-
cause they are seen only through microscopes) are in-
numerable forms of both vegetable and animal life,—
bacteria, fungi, etc. — the bacteria having by far the great-
est influence on agricultural conditions.

Bacteria

Lipman says : "In agriculture, the development of bac-
teriology has given us a new insight into the nature of
soil fertility. We have learned to regard the soil as a
culture medium with its almost endless number of species
and varieties of bacteria, specialized to do important
work in the transformation of soil nitrogen, carbon, hy-
drogen, and sulphur ; in the transformation, also, of com-
pounds containing lime, magnesia, phosphoric acid and
potash. We have learned to reckon with these organisms
in our methods of soil improvement, and have made some
progress toward successful systems of soil inoculation."

Bacteria are the simplest and smallest forms of vegeta-

64 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

tion, being one-celled plants and so tiny 25,000 could be
placed side by side in a line an inch long. However, the
multiplication of bacteria under favorable conditions is
beyond our conception, and what they lack in size is made
up in numbers. Favorable conditions for the develop-
ment of one form of bacteria may be most unfavorable
for another; the most noticeable distinction being that
some (aerobic) require an abundant supply of air,
while others (anaerobic) flourish where the circulation
of air is limited. Certain conditions are unfavorable to
all bacteria: dry sandy soils lacking in humus contain
very few; pure clay soils are equally barren; and also
any soil that is filled with stagnant water or that is
strongly acid. Many bacteria are killed by drying,
while others only remain dormant. It has been found
that in the decomposition of vegetable matter there is
very little bacterial action when the moisture drops below
twent^^-five per cent.

Bacteria, like root hairs, take food by absorption
through the cell Avails, therefore, only dissolved sub-
stances can be used. To aid in this solution the bacteria
give off secretions called "enzymes." Enzymes are
strictly chemical substances which break down organic
compounds but do not enter into combination. Organic
matter is complex and the various changes are not fully
understood, but either the enzymes themselves or the com-
pounds they induce, or perhaps both, are under some cir-
cumstances "highly useful," but under others they are
"intensely poisonous" because conditions govern the

IDEA!- FERTILIZERS 65

kinds of bacteria present. When green vegetation is
turned under or a soil is saturated with water, "putrefac-
tion" and its poisonous products occur in place of the
"decomposition" which attends dead vegetation in an
aerated soil. However, there are some forms of organic
matter, which, under the most favorable conditions, pro-
duce enough of these poisons to affect citrus trees seri-
ously, for the citrus family is especially sensitive to the
action of such compounds.

Ammonifying Bacteria — The change from organic ni-
trogen to ammonia "is accomplished by many kinds of
bacteria, . . . some of them are aerobic, others an-
aerobic. . . . The formation of ammonia from or-
ganic nitrogen compounds in soils depends upon a variety
of conditions, such as the kind of protein, the kind of
soil bacteria, and all the physical and chemical condi-
tions that modify or influence their activity." It is
during these processes that the above-mentioned enzymes
and their products occur.

Nitrifying Bacteria — Though the change from organic
nitrogen to ammonia is so varied and complex, "the
conversion of ammonia into nitric acid takes place as the
result of two distinct bacterial chemical operations, one
kind of bacteria being responsible for the first operation
and another for the second;" these two chemical opera-
tions being the change of ammonia into nitrous acid and
of the nitrous acid into nitric acid, in each instance by
an addition of oxygen. These acids are immediately neu-
tralized when there is free base present. If such base is

Q6 WILSON & TOOMKR FERTILIZER COMPANY

not at hand the nitrifying bacteria will soon be killed by
their own product. Van Slyke says: "Each pound of
nitric acid formed, calls for nearly a pound of calcium
carbonate." "Nitrification cannot . . . take place
in acid or sour soils. In order that there may be no
accumulation of free nitric or other acids in soils, it is
absolutely necessary that there shall be an abundance
of some basic compound wrhich can unite with the free
acids and form salts that do not act injuriously on
nitrifying organisms."

It has been seen that the change from ammonia to
nitrous and nitric acids consists of combining oxygen
with the nitrogen, hence it is evident that the nitrifying
bacteria must have an abundance of air. "Water-satu-
rated soils prevent nitrification by shutting off the air.
Limited air supply is one of the important factors which
explains the slow nitrification on heavy sod land and
in clay soils." Temperature also affects bacterial ac-
tivity. Crops start earlier on open, well-drained soil,
especially if they have a southerly slope, because of the
warmth inducing a more rapid formation of nitrates.

Denitrifying Bacteria — These are the enemies which
flourish when by ill-advised cultivation we have dis-
couraged the presence of the nitrifying bacteria. Nitri-
fying bacteria can take oxygen only from the air, but
denitrifying bacteria can break down nitrogen com-
pounds to secure the oxygen needed for their develop-
ment. They change nitrates to nitrites, then nitrites to
free nitrogen wrhich escapes into the air and leaves the

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 67

soil impoverished to the extent of these operations.
Some people, knowing their soil is too wet to permit ni-
trification, apply nitrate of soda. Such application is
of benefit, for the plants get part of the nitrates, but there
is such a substantial loss through denitrification the
grower will find it far more profitable to secure good
drainage and keep his land in proper condition. Denitri-
fication takes place also when a large amount of green
vegetation is plowed under. By such course, fertility is
lost instead of gained.

Fixation of Atmospheric Nitrogen — Another class of
friendly organisms are the nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The
ammonifying and nitrifying bacteria, though most valu-
able in changing nitrogen to available form, do not in-
crease the soil content of nitrogen. These little friends,
the nitrogen-fixing bacteria, take free nitrogen from the
air and convert it into nitrogen compounds that can be
used as plant food. There are two classes of nitrogen-
fixing bacteria: "(1) Those bacteria that live in the soil
itself, independent of the presence of growing plants, and
(2) bacteria that are dependent upon the presence of
certain higher plants, living and working within the
plant roots." Those of the first class which are known
as "non-symbiotic" are seemingly of no great importance,
adding little to the store of combined nitrogen.

Those in the second class are called "symbiotic." The
word symbiotic means "living together," but it is custom-
ary to use this word only when the association is of
mutual advantage. In this instance the bacteria give

68 WILSON & TOOMLU FKKTILIZKR COMPANY

nitrogen compounds in exchange for sugar and other
carbohydrates manufactured in the green leaves of their
hosts. The bacteria enter tender roots and multiply
rapidly. As the colony of bacteria grows the root cell
expands, forming a ^nodule." These nodules vary in
shape according to the host, but careful examination will
prevent anyone from confusing them with the distorted
roots caused by "root knot."

Legumes — The hosts of nitrogen-fixing bacteria which
are of profit to the grower are called "legumes," and
those which particularly interest us here in Florida are
the cowpea, velvet bean, and beggar weed. These all, but
particularly the first two, grow on new land, and by
their extensive root system do much toward bringing the
soil into good tilth. The stems and leaves have a high
nitrogen content, and enrich the soil by this as well as
by the addition of humus matter if the crops are mowed
and dried, and then disked into the land ; or if they are
kept for hay or used for grazing they make most valuable
stock food. Under suitable conditions the bacteria will
supply at least two-thirds of the nitrogen that is in the
tops of the plant and over half of that in the nodules on
the roots. In other words, they will take from the air
enough nitrogen to make the crop and to leave the soil
richer in this element than it was before the crop was
planted.

Besides proper air and water content, secured by tilth
and drainage, there are three main factors in making a
crop of legumes profitable:

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 61)

(1) Base, — Though some legumes make a fair growth
on soils more or less acid, they do not develop many ni-
trogen nodules and, therefore, are of proportionate value,
often benefiting the land no more than any cover crop.
Lime the land when it is not already slightly alkaline.

(2) Fertilizer, — Apply a formula giving enough and
not too much available nitrogen to start the plant off well,
and plenty of phosphoric acid and potash to provide for
full development of crop. If a large quantity of available
nitrogen is applied, the plant and bacteria use it in place
of the nitrogen of the air, thus the bacterial benefits are
lost; and if too little, the plant is slow in "starting off"
for the bacteria have not sufficiently developed to be of
much value until about blooming time.

(3) Bacteria, — Each host (except those closely re-
lated) has its special bacteria, therefore it is important
that this particular organism be at hand. The bacteria
associated with cowpeas and velvet, beans seem to be
common throughout the State, but often beggar weed does
not get a good start the firsi year. This lack can be
overcome by ^inoculation," or the introduction of the
needed germs. The surest method for this is a scattering
over the field of soil from land which has grown a good
crop of the intended host.

This is not practical on a large scale because of expense
of transportation, so our efforts must be confined to com-
mercial cultures. So far, no method of preparing* such
cultures has been devised that insures their vitality; but
a large percentage of the products of reliable manufac-

70 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

turers is good and they are well worth trying. However,
they will not increase a crop on land already well
"seeded" with that particular bacteria, nor will they act
as complete fertilizer. Such claims are exaggerations.

Drawbacks — Every good has its accompanying evil.
Cowpeas induce root knot and should not be planted on
land to be used for vegetables, peach trees or figs.
Velvet beans grow so rapidly they are almost sure to
over-run young trees despite the grower's best intentions.
Beggar weed must be cut before it gets woody or its stems
are extremely slow in decaying and in the meantime are
a great annoyance. Beggar weed seems also to be a fa-
vorite breeding place of the pumpkin bug, which is most
difficult to control, and at times does serious damage in
bearing groves.

Popular Terms — Popularly speaking, the ammonifying,
nitrifying and nitrogen-fixing bacteria are all called "ni-
trifying bacteria."

Other Bacteria — Lyoii and Pippin say: "Certain bac-
teria decompose some of the mineral matter of the soil
and render it more easily available to the plant." The
disintegration of rocks, weathering of soil, changes in
sulphur and iron compounds, and the action of various
organic acids including carbon dioxide, — all are results
of bacterial life. Van Slyke mentions the products of
bacteria, "carbon dioxide gas, nitrous, nitric, sulphuric,
and various organic acids," and their effects upon calcium
and other carbonates, phosphates, magnesium, potassium,
etc., of the soil, as well as in substances applied in the

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 71

form of fertilizer, and says: "These statements serve to
show that extensive and far-reaching chemical changes
are wrought by bacterial action. It is obvious that the
more favorable the soil conditions are for the growth of
bacteria, the more intense will be their activity and the
greater the changes brought about."

Fungi

Fungi range in size from microscopic forms but little
larger than bacteria to immense toadstools. They are of
much higher organism, multiplying by the production of
spores (seeds) in place of the simple division of bacteria.
"Many soil fungi assist in decomposing organic matter,
especially in the earlier stages of decomposition. They
are particularly active in acid soils in which many bac-
teria cannot work."

Animal Life

Protozoa — Protozoa are one-celled organisms that in
greenhouse conditions sometimes become so numerous
as to destroy an appreciable number of nitrifying bac-
teria, but we are not likely to feel their influence in the
field.

Root Knot or Nematodes — The adult nematode or eel
worm is about three-hundred ths of an inch in length.
It punctures the roots and breeds therein, causing the for-
mation of galls and inducing disease and decay. This
trouble is popularly known as root knot. Rotation of
crops and flooding the land are the only means of con-
trol known at the present time.

72 WILSON & TOOMKIt FKIiTI Ll/KK COMPANY

Chapter XII

Insects in General

Practically, insects can be divided into four classes —
chewing insects that may be killed with stomach poison;
sucking insects that may be killed with contact insecti-
cide; insects like the weevil, the habits of which make
fumigation necessary ; and others like the plant bug and
leaf hoppers, which even to check materially take all of
man's wit.

The chewing insect can be distinguished from those
which suck, by the mouth parts, the one having jaws,
"mandibles," that work sideways, and the other a snout
for piercing vegetable tissue. The most of the insect
damage to our crops is done by the young or larviP.
Many are then popularly called "worms." Our cabbage
is eaten by the young of a dainty white butterfly; wire
worms are the offspring of beetles ; while a fly much like
the common house fly lays the eggs that hatch into root
maggots. Broadly speaking, insects in the larval stage
do us no good and do harm in proportion to their
number.

If chewing insects feed in the open they can be killed
with stomach poisons; for this either Paris green or
arsenate of lead is generally used. Sucking insects, com-
mon examples of which are the aphids or plant lice of
the garden, the different scales on various trees, and the

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 73

citrus whitefly, puncture the outside tissue and feed upon
the juices of the plant. Stomach poisons, therefore, are
of no avail. For their control we must depend upon con-
tact insecticides or fumigation. The principle of a con-
tact insecticide is to kill the insect by entering its breath-
ing pores, "spiracles," as they are called. The materials
most commonly used for this purpose are tobacco, soap,
or oil in some form. For the fumigation of ants, weevils,
etc., bisulphide of carbon is generally used. It is very
inflammable.

The subject of fertilizing is too great to be discussed
in full here. A few plants seem to have no preference as
to the source of their food, while many are most suscepti
ble to the influence of different fertilizer materials. The
plant's welfare must be given first consideration, but
often we can combine fertilizing and insecticide effects
to good advantage. Commercial fertilizer is less in-
ducive to insect development than is stable manure,
some forms being far more active in this way than others.
Muriate of potash and kainit with their strong chlorine
content tend especially to lessen insect life in all forms,
and \vill do much to balance conditions made by the
use of stable manure; therefore they are to be preferred
to sulphate of potash for use in connection with it.
However, to have such material act as a direct insecti-
cide, as against cut-worms, etc., it is necessary to make
a heavy application on bare ground. At least 1000
pounds of kainit should be used per acre. This can
be put on after plowing and harrowed in, say, a month

74 WILSON & TOOMKll FERTILIZER COMPANY

before planting. If rains come the potash will not be
materially wasted, but the salt will be washed away,
leaving the soil in condition to plant crops which would
"burn" were kainit applied at planting time or after.
Nearly all forms of insect life found in the soil succumb
to the salty solution formed by rains on land dressed
with kainit. Root knot is an exception, but its work can
be slightly retarded by building up firm tissue in the
root system through the use of commercial fertilizers
high in potash.

There are three particular points in successfully com-
bating either insect or disease enemies of our crops.

First, start in time. If the crop is ruined before spray-
ing is commenced, insecticides and fungicides, however
valuable, cannot effect its rehabilitation.

Second, do thorough work. Spraying half done is a
waste of time and money.

Third, unless you have had experience try the spraying
solution on a small area three days before spraying the
crop, and watch its effects.

In further comment on point three I would say to the
grower who declares he has "not the time to wait three
days," that in such case he has let his enemies get ahead
of him. Constant vigilance is essential. When the
grower sees a flock of chocolate-brown butterflies hovering
over his bean patch he can turn up the bean leaves, find
the yellow eggs, and know then he must spray soon.
Spraying material should be purchased with his fertilizer,
seed, and other supplies, then there is no chance to lose

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 75

a crop by miscarriage of freight or through other delays
beyond his control. Insects do not come suddenly. There
is ample warning if the grower will but look for it. It
generally is not until the second or third brood that in-
sects become so numerous as to work noticeable damage.

In regard to the necessity of trying the spray someone
asks, "Can we not depend upon your directions?" He
must remember I am not responsible for careless weights
or measurements. If the results given by a dozen dif-
ferent operators measuring out ingredients be compared
the inaccuracy of their work will be evident. In some
mixtures this is not so important. In others, it means
serious loss; then, too, the foliage of the same species
of plant is far more tender under some conditions than
others.

I might add a fourth "pointer." Do not spray in hot
sunshine. Often the sun heats the drops of water so as
to scald the plant and the spraying solution gets the
blame.

Friends or Enemies

The natural enemies of our enemies do much toward
keeping them in check. Each larva has its parasite, per-
haps animal, perhaps vegetable, each parasite has other
parasites until it seems strange the insect world is not
entirely destroyed, but because of Nature's most delicate
balance, the different combatants, when under natural
conditions, keep in about the same proportion. Man dis-
arranges this balance, therefore it is most essential that

76

WILSON & TOOMKIl FKKTILIZKU COMPANY

he knows which are his friends, which his enemies, in
order that this interference may be turned to his advan-
tage. Without going into deep study, we can safely con-
sider insects resembling bees and wasps our friends ; flies,
butterflies, moths, ants and grasshoppers our enemies;
while beetles are divided, though the greater number are
against us.

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 77

Chapter XIII

Diseases in General

One cannot fail to be impressed with the number of in-
sects and disease troubles that may occur. He is almost
inclined to feel despair in ever producing the crops when
there is such an array of enemies awaiting him. But he
should consider the matter in two ways: First, it is as
impossible for all or eyen a small percentage of these
troubles to attack a single crop as for one person to suffer
from all the diseases common to the human family; sec-
ond, that there is a preventive or remedy for nearly every
trouble mentioned. Shutting one's eyes to evil does not
overcome it. The best policy is to recognize all draw-
backs and either avoid them or stamp them out.

Most plant diseases are caused by parasitic fungous
or bacterial growth. We can imagine a fungus as a tiny
plant, the spore or seed of which lodges upon a leaf,
fruit or twig and sends out "roots" which enter the pores
and make their way through the cells of the inner tissue,
feeding upon the elaborated sap, taking5 the nourishment
prepared for the plant's own use and clogging and dis-
arranging the cells, causing disease and death to the
attacked area. On the surface the fungus develops and
produces quantities of other spores which are carried
by dew, rains, winds, insects, etc., to other points where
further infection can take place. Potato blight is a good
example of this. The control of such diseases is based

78 WILSON & TOOMRR FERTILIZER COMPANY

entirely upon so coating the surface of nninfected vege-
tation with Bordeaux mixture or other fungicides that
when the spores fall upon it the}7 are killed. This ex-
plains the need of thorough spraying. Unsprayed por-
tions are as readily affected as though the rest of the
plant were also unprotected. As long as new leaves are
forming it is necessary to spray every ten days or two
weeks until the disease is eradicated, even when the most
favorable conditions prevail. Dry, sunny weather is
against fungous growth, while cloudy, wet weather favors
it. Hence, during cloudy days diseases spread more rap-
idly. If Bordeaux mixture has time to dry thoroughly
before the rain falls it will be quite resistant to washing
effects. This is true of other sprays to a great extent,
but even if the fungicide used is washed off, it has killed
myriads of spores which would have infected new areas.
Spraying must not be delayed because of rainy weather.
There are four distinctions for the grower to make
when considering fungi, these being based upon the hosts
necessary for their establishment. The class I have men-
tioned attack living vegetable tissue and are our "ene-
mies," in that they work against us, but there are also
"friendly" fungi, so called because they live only on
animal tissue and by becoming established upon and
killing our insect enemies, scale, whitefly, etc., they work
to our advantage. Another kind of "noxious" fungi
exists in our groves and gardens which can live upon
dead and decaying matter, but when such matter is a
weak or dead part of a live host the toxine, that is, the

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 79

poisonous fluid, created by the action of the fungus will
cause further death and decay until there is practically
no difference in its effect and the effect of the fungus
first mentioned except it must have a point for entrance.
Citrus "withertip" and lettuce "drop" are common ex-
amples of the third class. In the fourth class are the
"damping-off" fungi, of which there are several varieties.
These live on decayed matter in the soil, but they are
more virulent than those preceding, as they can attack
perfectly healthy young seedlings of many plants. They
ente? the stalk at or near the surface of the ground, either
starting decay there at once or clogging the water pas-
sages so the top of the plant wilts and topples over, after
which decay rapidly sets in. Whole seed beds are thus
attacked so suddenly that often the grower can do noth-
ing to save his plants after the trouble first appears;
therefore he should guard against it. Land known to be
subject to damping-off should not be used for a seed-bed.
Seed-beds should always be well drained and the soil
kept aerated by constant stirring. Dry sulphur sprinkled
on the surface and lightly scratched in is a good pre-
ventive. A spray of weak ammoniacal copper carbonate
solution is also effective if given in time.

Bacteria differ from fungi in that they live wholly
within their host, clogging the passages and thereby pro-
ducing death and decay. Since they are entirely within
the plant, spraying is ineffective. The entrance is often
made through tender roots and the disease carried over
the field by the feeding of insects from plant to plant.

80 WILSON & TOOMICU FKKT1LI/KU COMPANY

Bacteria are tiny one-celled ])lants and multiply by
divisions instead of by a "fruiting" or a "vegetative" proc-
ess. While the spores of a fungus represent the seeds
of a plant or perhaps a mass of "slips" in a strong pro-
tecting case, the bacterium has but one spore, and that
is itself, with snch covering- as to make it practically
unaffected by uncongenial surroundings, but sensitive1
to a favorable condition upon the arrival of which it
"springs to life" and multiplies with incredible rapidity.

The "resting" spores of both fnngi and bacteria are
often longlived. They remain longer in land allowed to
"lie out" than in that worked and planted to crops not
favorable for their development. But often when we
think the land is lying out to eradicate some insect or
disease trouble it is growing weeds to help develop the
trouble we are wishing to overcome. There is no reason
why land should be allowed to lie out. It can rest just
as well by raising a suitable crop and with far more
profit to its owner.

But besides the attacks of fungi and bacteria there
are diseases which are physiological, troubles brought on
by uncongenial surroundings, either in soil, moisture
supply, temperature, wrong fertilization or ill-advised
cultivation or several of these factors combined. These
diseases are the least understood and there is perhaps
no more promising field for the scientist than in their
study. Plants have an individuality and those of the
same kind vary as to their sensitiveness to surroundings.
The well-developed seed from a vigorous plant produces

IDEAL FERTILIZER'S 81

an individual more hardy in every way than the seed
which can barely germinate. Good seed will bring re-
sults in a field as markedly as will good blood in a herd
of cattle. The hardy young plant will have a much better
chance for its life than 'its weaker brother, for being
unable to change their environment they must do the
best they can with the conditions provided by the weather
clerk and the grower. Generally speaking, though, the
grower can to an extent overcome weather disadvantages.
But suppose the grower fails to do his part; suppose the
ground is water soaked and sour and the moisture con-
stantly passing into the plant or tree is laden with poi-
sonous substances. Is it strange that a "digestive" dis-
turbance takes place? Or, suppose the materials con-
taining the plant food create such conditions or the
ground is so hard the roots are restricted in their de-
velopment, and therefore fail to furnish the right amount
of nourishment; or, suppose there is comparatively no
available nourishment at hand, or that the roots have
been bruised and torn by deep cultivation and through
the drying out following that cultivation are left with
no moisture within their reach. Will not some disar-
rangement or "breaking down" be likely to occur? Die-
back in the citrus grove and white-bud of corn and straw-
berries are such instances. When the plant becomes
weakened physically its enemies seem to hasten to take
possession and only by strict attention can normal con-
ditions be established. Sanitation is as essential in the
field as in the home.

82 WILSON & TOOMER FERTILIZER COMPANY

Chapter XIV

Spraying

Since too much emphasis cannot be laid upon this
point, I will repeat: Careless spraying is a waste of
time and money.

How to Spray — Cover the foliage with a thin film and
stop just at the point where drops would be formed to
run off. An excess wastes the spray, leaves the surface
unprotected since the solution runs off instead of form-
ing a film, and perhaps causes injury to the plant tissues
at the points where drops hang suspended instead of
falling, for when thus evaporated there is often enough
of the concentrated solution to "burn" the vegetation.

Where to Spray — Study the insect or disease which is
to be controlled and direct the spray accordingly. If
the attacked area is the under surface of the leaves great
care must be taken to have the work effective.

When to Spray — Never spray liquid in hot sunshine,
as the leaves are often injured by the moisture being so
heated as to scald them. This is also likely to happen if
a light shower comes just after the spraying and the sun
comes out hot for several hours afterward. While one
cannot foresee the weather with certainty, he can gener-
ally judge it quite accuratehT for a few hours in advance.
The ideal condition for spraying is a slightly cloudy day
with a light breeze which will rapidly dry the foliage,

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 83

for when once dry the spraying solution is not so readily
washed off. Arsenate of lead, Bordeaux mixture and
Yothers' Formula No. 3, an insecticide, a fungicide and
a contact insecticide, respectively, are especially able to
withstand weather conditions when once dried on the
foliage.

Dust spray should be applied to dew-wet foliage when
there is little or no air stirring. A slight misty rain
after application is of benefit. During damp, rainy
weather fungous growth develops much more rapidly,
and fields should be sprayed oftener than in dry seasons.

What Form of Spray — Extended experiments have
proved the wet spray to be the more effective. Where
there is no local reason against it, I advise wet spray in
practically all instances except for rust mite on citrus
trees, mildew on beans, the cotton caterpillar and the
corn-bud worm. The first because the dry sulphur is
effective against the rust mite and not so active against
tLe friendly fungi; the second, because the dry spray
destroys mildew and it can be applied in the morning,
when other work in the bean fields cannot be done, thus
saving valuable time; the third, because it is so econom-
ical in labor since the slight dust jarred through the bags
by the mule's movement is sufficient ; and, fourth, because
a tiny pinch of powder to each bud will do the work and
a spray pump would be wasteful of both labor and mate-
rial. In many gardens where team work is not used the
dry sprays are more economical because of the saving
of labor in carrying so much water. Such factors must
be taken into consideration.

84 WILSON & TOOMKK FERTILIZER COMPANY

How Much Spray — The answer to this question de-
pends upon the spraying* machine and the operator, also
upon the size of the plants or trees. Fifty gallons per
acre is considered an ayerage amount of wet spray to be
used where the crop is set in rows, like Irish potatoes;
or one hundred gallons where the vines coyer the ground,
like watermelons. In the Maine Experiment Station they
used from six to ten pounds per acre of dry spray with
far better results from the latter, though from the plot re-
ceiving the ten-pound application the yield of potatoes
was only about three-fourths that of the plot receiving
the fift3T-gallon wet spray. It is estimated by one grower
that a citrus tree seven feet high by seven feet wide will
need two gallons of spray, one 10 x 12, four gallons, and
one 14 x 18, ten gallons, while another valued friend al-
lows 750 gallons of spray per acre of large bearing trees,

As to dust spray — -A prominent grower says that he
used in two applications 1500 pounds of sulphur and
lime dust on twenty acres of young grapefruit trees, and
that out of 2000 boxes of fruit did not have over one box
of russets. He used a dust blower run by an engine, and
estimated the labor cost him about flO. He says the
extra value of his bright fruit (40 cents per box) more
than paid for the spraying outfit, spray and cost of appli-
cation.

IDEAL FERTILIZERS 85

Ideal Fertilizers

Best

To gain a place on our regular list a formula must not
only produce results, but results with a profit. The
user of fertilizer considers the effect on his pocketbook
the REAL result.

IDEAL FERTILIZER produces the right effect, for
it works with Nature. The preference of each class of
vegetation for its source of plant food is carefully studied,
as well as the proper proportions to give perfect balance
— no lack, no waste.

With proper application of proper food, vegetation out-
grows diseases and insects to a great extent, and being
strong and vigorous, produces fruit that is pleasing to
the eye and palate and brings financial returns that are
gratifying to the grower.

Do not lose the maximum profit due you by poorly bal-
anced plant food from improper sources. IDEAL stands
for PROFIT.

Cheapest

With our long experience on the market with fertilizer
materials in all parts of the world and ample capital to
buy in great quantities at the most favorable times, and
to obtain all concessions given for strictly cash sales,
we buy our materials at the lowest possible prices.

Two of ttie leading railroads have laid their tracks to
our factory and any ship that can cross the St. Johns
bar can unload at our dock, so whether we buy at home
or abroad, we secure the lowest freight rates, and deliv-
ery is made at our door.

86 WILSON & TooMKK FERTILIZER COMPANY

Our factory is equipped throughout with labor-saving
devices, therefore our fertilizer is handled at minimum
cost.

Our trade is so immense that the office expenses are
much less per ton than is possible in a smaller business.
Our every condition is favorable for economy and we give
you the benefit. While we make the BEST, we can and
DO sell the CHEAPEST.

Our Factory

Is located on Idealia Point, in the eastern suburb of the
city, on deep water. All vessels that can cross the'bar
can tie up at our dock, and we have rail connections to
all parts of the Southern States. It is the largest and
most modern factory in the South. Our main building
is 400 x 230 feet and is supplied with the latest and best
machinery for grinding and mixing. We have our own
electric power plant. We are prepared to supply your
wants quickly in any quantity that you may desire.

Remember that in buying Ideal Brands they are fully
guaranteed and you know exactly what materials are
used in their manufacture.

Insecticide Department

We carry all standard insecticide and fungicide ma-
terials, also the most effective and durable implements
for application. Write for anything you want.

INFORMATION: We are prepared to give practical
directions for combating insect and disease troubles.
Tell us all about it, and if science has discovered or
practice developed a method of control, the information
is at your command.

THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE
STAMPED BELOW

AN INITIAL FINE OF 25 CENTS

WILL BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN
THIS BOOK ON THE DATE DUE. THE PENALTY
WILL INCREASE TO SO CENTS ON THE FOURTH
DAY AND TO $1.OO ON THE SEVENTH DAY
OVERDUE.

LD 21-100m-8,'34

ID IDOU7

260271