Page 2 Advertisements Column 1

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13438, 9 November 1907, Page 2 (Supplement)

An account of some experiments made in France to supply trees-'with artificial food in cases where the roots were unable to take up their natural food from the soil, is given in an English exchange. A number of apple trees had died owing to some disease of the rootlets. Their owner determined to try the effect of injecting a liquid which might replace the sap. Intoa hole he drove a wooden or glass tube, joined to an india-rubber One, which communicated with a small reservoir. The nutrient liquid was contained in this reservoir, and the tree was allowed to absorb as much as it could of the liquid in three of four hours. The first tree experimented on absorbed afaoiit a pint and a half of water on the first day. On the second day the water was replaced with liquid fertiliser containing sulphate of potash, of which the tree drank half-a-gallon in 12 days. Eight more days were occupied in absorbing a dilute solution of nitrate of potash, and by this time the tree, hitherto- moribund began to show signs of life. Eventually the tree showed signs of restored growth.