Almond Hulls and Sawdust.

Is there any fertilizing value in the hulls of almonds?  Would pine sawdust from the lumber mills be a good substance to mix in and plow under in a three-acre adobe patch in order to loosen and lighten the soil for truck gardening?

Almond hulls have considerable fertilizing value, but they are slow to decompose, and, therefore, may be a long time unused by the plant.  They also have a good feeding value for stock, and if you can expose them in the corral so the stock can eat as they like, this is the best way to get them into fertilizing form.  If they can be cheaply ground their availability as a fertilizer would, of course, be quickened.  Redwood sawdust is better than pine sawdust, but any kind of sawdust can be made to serve a good purpose in mellowing heavy soils if not used to excess and if there is plenty of moisture to promote decay.

Fertilizing Fruit Trees.

I have an orchard of prunes, apricots and cherries, which has been bearing since some 30 years ago, without fertilization, except possibly muddy sediment from occasional irrigations of mountain streams.  Various people are advocating the use of nitrates and other fertilizers.  Should I have samples of this earth analyzed in order to ascertain what the soil most needs?

To find out whether your trees need fertilization, study the tree and the product and do not depend upon chemical analysis of the soil.  If your trees are growing thriftily and have sufficiently goodsized leaves of good color, and if fruit of good size and quality is obtained, it is not necesssary to think of fertilization.  If the trees are not satisfactory in all these respects, the first thing to do is to determine whether they have moisture enough during the later part of the summer.  This should be determined by digging or boring to a depth or three or four feet in July or August.  The subsoil should be reasonably moist in order to sustain the tree during the late summer and early fall when strong fruit buds for the coming year will be finished.  If you are sure the moisture supply is ample, then fertilization either with stable manure or with commercial fertilizers containing especially nitrates and phosphates should be undertaken experimentally, in accordance with suggestions for application made to you by dealers in these articles, who are usually well informed by observation.  When you have the tree to advise you of the condition of the soil, you do not need a chemist, although if the tree manifests serious distress and is unable to make satisfactory growth the suggestions of a chemist may be very helpful.

Fertilizing Oranges.

What is the general and what do you consider the ideal, manuring, and when applied for orange trees from 15 to 12 years old under irrigation?  I use about 2 cwt. each of superphosphate, nitrate of soda and sulphate of potash per acre, but am dissatisfied with my yields as compared with yours in California.