FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 341 



more for a Aviiul break than anytliiiig else. Tiie southwest being tlie prevail- 

 ing wind here and the coldest during winter, seems to require sonic attention 

 in reference to iilanting orchard trees. 



It is my opinion that every fifth row of trees should be a row of evergreens; 

 the most rapid growers. The wiiite cedar here would give ample protection, if 

 planted thickly in its own row, say in the row five feet ajiart; this row when 

 grown u[) will answer for a wind break and add the most beautiful ornament to 

 the orchard. These evergreens grow as fast as the orchard trees, if cultivated 

 as -well. 



Since we have got the trees in the ground, let us see about the care of them. 

 The trees were painted with the best soft soap and left to grow. In July apply 

 one more application of the soap, examining the trees and rubbing off any un- 

 necessary sprouts and shoots, and also destroying any worms or caterpillars, 

 and you may find some of the cecropians, a large green worm, about four inches 

 long and full half an inch thick, beautifully marked. The moths are some- 

 times five or seven inches across the wings. 



The first application of soap has the effect to destroy any young borers of 

 the year before and any eggs that may have been laid in the bark, as the alkali 

 or combination of alkali and grease will penetrate to the wood of the tree and 

 mingle with the sap and thus supply a concentrated food for the growth of the 

 tree and poison for the borer. 



Many orchardists avoid planting pears because of so much doubt about any- 

 thing like success in their continued growth and production of fruit. In Bay 

 City, last year and year before, nearly all the pear trees blighted and were lost, 

 while mine, some 500, were all saved but two, which were not noticed until too 

 late. Some thirty commenced to turn black and I prepared my soap, adding 

 a little copperas dissolved in water, and painted the trees every week for two 

 months, when the trees had all put out fresh leaves, and sprouts from some of 

 the limbs had grown several inches; and the trees are growing thrifty yet. 



If this soap (not soap-suds) is applied in May and July, every year, the 

 borers will not be known in your orchard, and it supplies a food and manure 

 applied more directly to the tree than can be done in any other way, and when 

 applied in May it courses up the tree in the sap to invigorate the whole body, 

 limbs and leaves, and the July application renews the strength and returns 

 with the sap to the roots, in turn furnishing the entire plant with such food as 

 it naturally requires. 



This mixture will have an equally good effect upon all deciduous trees (that 

 is all but evergreens, and I have no doubt of the same result with them.) 



As this subject cannot well be too much drained of its impurities, so the 

 orchard can not well be too much drained of its surplus water. Where the 

 land is filled with water not much air finds its way to give life to the soil. 

 Surface drains help very much, but fail to let the water out from the roots, for 

 no crop can be successful in land that is subject to frequent drenching with a 

 surplus of water that stands for weeks, causing fermentation and souring the 

 organic matter it contains. The fruit tree is jiot a success in that soil. So 

 sure as continued wet feet is the cause of consumption in a delicate young lady, 

 so sure will the fruit tree die with consumption, if too much water and wet feet 

 be allowed. 



The soil has very much to do with the successful growing of fruits. It 

 seems that some begin to have doubts when so many re(|uirements are stated, 

 but some one has said that no practical fruit grower sliould ever let a word 



