PROTECTION AGAINST MICE. 193 



twenty dollars here, and I imagine the former's share was 

 pretty small. Now, when they send their apples here to 

 compete with us, do they get a very large share of the cost 

 at which they are sold? I think that the man who handles 

 them, and the railroad that transports them, lay so heavy 

 tariff" upon them, that we can well aiford to fight these our 

 insect enemies, and to apply the necessary fertilizers to keep 

 up the vigor and fertility of our orchards, and that we need 

 not fear the competition of the West. 



Question. How can we prevent the ravages of mice? 

 We suffer more from mice among young trees than from all 

 the other things you have named. What is 3'our remedy? 



Mr. Gold. I planted an orchard of eight acres last spring, 

 and this fall I have built a mound of earth, about the size of 

 a half-bushel, around each tree, directing the man to stamp 

 it down with his feet and smooth it off a little in the shape of 

 a flap. That will serve to protect the tender roots of the 

 tree, and keep it from being swayed about in the winter and 

 spring ; and I expect it will be a perfect preventive of the 

 ravages of mice. It has hitherto proved so, whenever I have 

 had young trees enough to make it an object to bank them up 

 in that way. 



Question. I would like to inquire in regard to the most 

 favorable season to prune apple-trees ? 



Mr. Gold. We are advised to prune in June, but as that 

 is a time when a farmer never will prune his trees, we accept 

 what is considered to be the next best time, which is the mild 

 w^eather in winter. Any time from this time onward during 

 the mild days of winter is considered the best time for pruning 

 an apple-tree. But the pruning should be so frequent that 

 very little pruning will be needed. Careful foresight in 

 pruning will prevent the necessity of cutting off" large limbs, 

 which is always injurious in its effects upon trees. 



Question. Will it do any hurt to prune them on a cold 

 day? 



Mr. Gold. I don't suppose it will hurt them particularly 

 to do it in a cold, but pruning is an operation that a man 

 cannot perform unless he is perfectly comfortable. If he is 

 uncomfortable, from cold or otherwise, he is not to be trusted 

 in a tree. He must take his work easy, and if he can get up 



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