Care of Fruit Trees. 609 



plum and peach trees sometimes sets the trees to bearing, and also 

 of the similar influence exerted by a label wire which has cut into 

 the bark, or of a partial break in a branch. Girdling or ringing to 

 set trees into bearing is an old and well known practice. It is not 

 to be advised as a general resort, but I should not hesitate to em- 

 ploy it upon one or two of the minor branches of an unprofitable 

 tree for the purpose of determining if the tree needs a check. I 

 saw a Baldwin tree this year in which two large limbs had been 

 girdled last year, and these limbs were bending with fruit whilst 

 the remaining branches and the adjacent trees were barren. Gird- 

 ling may generally be done with safety in spring when the leaves 

 are putting out. A ring of bark two or three inches wide may be 

 removed clear to the wood, and entirely encircling the limb. 1 

 have heard of excellent results following the simple ringing of 

 trees, which consists in severing the bark — but removing none of 

 it — completely around the tree with a sharp knife, in spring. 

 These are, of course, only incidental operations to be employed with 

 caution and then only upon branches of less importance. Their 

 value is wholly one of experiment, to aid the owner in determining 

 what fundamental treatment the orchard probably needs. 



6. Orchards are commonly grown on shares ivith other crops. — 

 There can be little objection to the growing of hoed crops in an 

 orchard until the trees show signs of bearing, if the land is well 

 tilled and the crops are liberally fed ; but land can not be expected 

 to give good yields of fruit and of other crops at the same time 

 The worst of all crops for the orchard — and they are also the com- 

 monest ones — are hay and grain, because they allow of no tillage 

 to conserve moisture and to alleviate the soil. It is well known 

 that grass farming makes grass farmers ; that is, continuous hay- 

 raising sells off the fertility without replacing it and impoverishes 

 the farm and eventually impoverishes the farmer. This is why our 

 interior hill farms are now so much run down. What, then, shall 

 we think of the farmer who expects to raise both hay and apples on 

 the same land year after year ? 



If one wants to raise hay or grain, it is the cheapest to grow it 

 where there are no trees to bother. If he wants to grow apples or 

 grapes, he had better choose some other place than a meadow or 

 grainfield. 



7. Failures are often caused or aggravated hy neglect of jprun- 

 ing. — There is less frequent neglect in this direction in western 



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