RE;pORT Of STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 289 



what few apples may be coaxed to grow in such an unfavorable 

 location. 



On the other hand, there are hundreds of old orchards in the 

 State that it would pay to try to rejuvenate. A careful and 

 judicious pruning and trimming out of some of the large limbs, 

 top thinning where they are too close to let the sun in, applying 

 a good dressing of barnyard manure and plowing it under in the 

 fall, followed by thorough cultivation in the spring will surely 

 place the orchard in good condition for a test in apple produc- 

 tion. 



. In removing large limbs saw them off two or three feet from 

 the trunk to avoid splitting. Then saw close so as not to leave a 

 projecting stub. In a few days paint over the scar with good 

 white lead. Two or three coats are necessary for thorough 

 protection from the weather. If this is not done the exposed 

 surface will soon begin to decay. 



It is better to begin the trimming in the winter. The past 

 fall and winter up to February first has been an ideal one for 

 such work. If knot-holes occur remove any projecting portion 

 of the old limb and close up the opening with a piece of tin ; 

 old tomato cans are just the thing. They can be easily 

 unsoldered by placing them for a few moments on a bed of coals 

 in the kitchen stove, then cut to the desired shape with a pair 

 of old shears and tack closely to the opening. If a large open- 

 ing occurs on the trunk take an old phosphate bag and carefully 

 tack it so as to neatly cover the hole. Paint over in each case 

 the same as mentioned above. This will keep out the rain for 

 a number of years and thus prolong the life of the tree. It 

 would be better to use Portland cement to fill the holes. 



If a tree is worth saving it is worth taking care of. If the 

 trunk is covered with rough bark a very profitable investment 

 would be to carefully scrape off all projecting portions and wash 

 the trunk with the whale oil soap solution. This will destroy 

 the hiding places of thousands of enemies and render the tree 

 more vigorous, to say nothing of the looks of the orchard. 



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