174 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



tree. The gradual decay of the corn stalk allows the tree room to ex- 

 pand and it is rarely necessary to take the trouble to go around and cut 

 them loose, as they will ordinarily rot out and drop away. We have also 

 used slough grass and rye straw. 



In case the number of I'ruit trees to be protected is so large that it 

 is not convenient to tie up each tree, then it is well to remember that the 

 rabbit has a sensitive nose and can be kept away by applying a com- 

 bination of blood, soap and tobacco juice, using a swab. Sometimes we 

 have added red pepper, Ciude carbolic acid or any other oiTensive in- 

 gredient. The use of a slight amount of flour in the combination makes 

 it more adhesive and less liable to wash off. 



The cheapest tobacco can be procured in the form of leaf stems from 

 the cigar maker. We steep these tobacco stems and then to that add the 

 blood, soap and any other ingredients convenience may suggest to use. 

 This will be less disagreeable to apply, if used while warm, otherwise it 

 is a cold job on a chilly day. 



:Many thousand of trees are annually lost from the depredations of 

 rabbits and trees can be protected at a less cost than 1 cent per tree. 



rnniiug.' 



While the commercial orchardist will commence work during the 

 sunny days of December, because he has so many trees, it will take the 

 whole winter to prune this orchard, yet the farmer or planter who has 

 only a family orchard should defer pruning until March. The reason 

 therefor being that if pruning is done just before active circulation of 

 sap starts in the spring, the cut surface dries and checks less and the 

 wound heals over more quickly. 



In pruning, in the case of young trees, start the tree with a sufficient 

 number of branches to make a rather open head. From season to season, 

 prune sufficiently to keep the head of the tree well balanced and reason- 

 ably open. A tree with an open head can be sprayed more thoroughly 

 than when the tree is allowed to grow at will. It is usual to cut out the 

 suckers or water sprouts, the dead wood and the broken branches. 



It should be remembered that the cherry tree requires very little 

 pruning. The cherry is more sensitive to the loss of wood or the cutting 

 away of any portion of its top than other varieties of fruit trees and 

 rarely requires more pruning than to remove the branches which in- 

 terfere with each other by crossing. 



Plum trees require comparatively little pruning. In the case of 

 young trees, shorten in the strongest shoots which out grow the others 

 to the extent of unbalancing the form and symmetry of the tree. 



Considerable amount cf pruning might be done in the month of June, 

 if there was at that season of the year, time for the work. The average 

 planter however, finds the season crowded so full of duties that he must 

 prune in winter or not at all. 



