(Paper presented before the Northern Nut Growers Association Convention,
September 3-5, 1946, Wooster, Ohio.)
By J. F. Wischhusen Manganese Research & Development Foundation,
Cleveland 10, Ohio
Mankind has harbored an age-old grudge against insects and fungi, so
that under the heading of crop protection from these pests there has
developed a large insecticide and fungicide industry.
Relatively little attention has been paid to the effects of a
nutritional character that can be obtained from simultaneous
applications of essential elements. Insects will probably always
constitute a problem of destruction, either of them or by them. But
fungi, bacteriae, viruses, can be made to combat, control and balance
each other; depending on the conditions under which their propagation is
either facilitated or inhibited.
There is evidence that so-called essential 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.