tant in tree growth, especially
where summers are hot, and that is soil temperature.

"For any of our nut trees I should say that an acidity test of pH 6 to 7
would be entirely satisfactory. If the soil is infertile, some form of
humus should be worked in at the time of planting. If much such material
is used, some lime may be added. Better yet, wood ashes and bone meal
will furnish potash, phosphorus, and the lime necessary to correct
acidity and maintain the phosphorus in an available condition. Add to
this, proper drainage and cool soil achieved by, first, cultivation, and
later by heavy mulching, artificial shading, or shrubby undergrowth
extended outside the root area, and your tree should 'go to town.' When
the tree is large enough to shade its own root area it will take care of
its own soil refrigeration. Nature knew what she was about when she
planted trees in forests. Trees require warm heads (sunshine) and cool
feet (shade), just the opposite from us humans."

Mr. Stoke's letter recalls a very ancient Arabian proverb connected with
the date palm. "The date palm tree must have his head in hell and his
feet in water." We are indebted both to Mr. Stoke and to the Arab
scientists for many things.

Miss Mildred Jones' reply, fortunately, goes into other and equally
important phases of the same subject. She says: "Anyone who is going to
lime and fertilize nut trees should take at least a five year period for
his work, using lime and fertilizer each year, and not dump it all in
one year, then wait for results. He should study the return on a five
year basis. One year is too short a term. Weather conditions can upset
a program to the extent that both lime and fertilizer may not have their
effect until the following year. Let those who really want to know, make
graphs of growth in young trees and of nut production from older trees,
in pounds, for five years, as against five of the same years during
which trees similarly situated received no fertilizer or lime.

"I shouldn't be at all surprised if those who state in reports to you
that they have an acid soil, merely have a top acid soil. They may be
growing their trees in basic limestone soils. Walnut trees grow in this
environment very well, because they are found growing wild in woods
where laurel and other types of plants loving an acid condition grow.
This is true here in our county, but these soils are not seriously acid.
They grow good garden crops.

"Ground,