nutrients, also variously
referred to as "minor", "trace", "rare", or "micro" elements play a
direct as well as indirect role of considerable importance in this
matter, and that trees can be fertilized, sprayed, injected or treated
with them in other ways to insure their growth, health, crop bearing
ability, longevity, disease--frost--and drought--resistance. There still
exists a paucity of scientific explanations on these subjects, but there
is already a good deal of scattered information, which it is my purpose
to draw to your attention. People do not care about scientific facts if
they can obtain results without them, and then scientific concepts too
may undergo changes. The manner in which trees obtain their nutrients
from soil, air and water, however, will forever remain unchanged,
whether we understand it or not, and it behooves every grower to observe
effects from causes, and to reflect upon them, and report his
observations to his association for the benefit of all.

Physical Soil Characteristics

That the primary requisites for tree growing are the physical
characteristics of all soils favorable for that purpose requires no
discussion. The successful nut tree planting starts with the soil,
whether it be on the scale of an orchard, grove, or just a few trees
around the farm or garden.

The better soils for general crop production are on limestone, basalt,
dolemite, dolerite, diorite and gabbro formations, whereas sandstones,
aplites, granites, pierre shale, cretacious rocks and volcanic
formations weather into inferior soils. Gneiss can be sometimes good,
sometimes unfavorable for building of fertile soil.

It is well to bear in mind that geology and botany are our two
fundamental sciences, and that all our other sciences are in reality
departments of these. Chemistry can be either a branch of botany if it
deals with organic chemistry, or else a branch of geology, if it deals
with inorganic chemistry, and it would appear that the modern scientific
grower of nut trees or any other crops is wittingly or unwittingly
concerned with both. Biology and zoology both are branches of botany.

The Essential Elements

In the past, economics have governed any crop production, whether of
trees, grains, fruits or vegetables; not nutrition and health. The
future in all likelihood will demand improved crops from the standpoint
of nutritional purposes as foods. It is gradually being realized that
the production of bett