All Issues

To test the efficiency of nitrogen fertilization on California annual range-lands, a three-year study was made of forage yield and nitrogen uptake in relation to the dates of application of urea fertilizer.

Frequently, failures of range seeding have been blamed on one or many factors such as exposures, rainfall, soil depth and type, temperatures, and depredations by birds and by rodents. Early, excessive, competition from the resident seedling plants is often given too little attention.

Temperature inversion, probably the most important meteorological factor in frost protection in the Sacramento Valley fruit producing area, is under continuing study initiated in 1956.

Exact tests show that extremely low concentrations of chromium benefit the growth of citrus and avocado trees.

Availability of soil moisture affects the utilization of soil manganese and boron by avocado trees, and high nitrogen fertilization reduces the trees' utilization of copper.

The best dates for planting bean varieties have been studied at Davis for five years. Five varieties of beans were planted at dates varying from early spring to late summer.

California's fresh strawberries travel for five or six days across the continent to reach eastern markets. The varieties grown are firm-fruited, but nevertheless they are an extremely perishable commodity and require great care to avoid unnecessary deterioration.