SECRETARY^ PORTFOLIO. 433 



Eepaieikg Apple Tkees. — Prof. L. H. Bailey gives some valuable hints 

 on tree surgery in the Indiana Farmer, from which we extract a paragraph : 

 The disfiguring of the tops of trees by injuries from ice and wind, and by 

 heavy loads of fruit, is a frequent occurrence. In this matter "an ounce 

 of prevention is worth a pound of cure." In thp training of young trees 

 all crotches should be avoided. If the tree as it comes from the nursery has 

 a fork, one branch should be removed and the other tied up perpendicu- 

 larly. If bad crotches should occur in trees four years old or upwards, they 

 should be braced. This bracing is done by twisting together two twigs, one 

 from the inside of each branch of the crotch, the twigs may be twisted about 

 each other loosely, the ends being allowed to project freely beyond the oppo- 

 site branches of the crotch. If kept in place, these twigs will soon begin to 

 grow together and after three or four years the free ends may be cut off. In 

 a few years they will be united into a perfectly solid bar across the crotch. 

 Twigs from the size of a lead pencil to the size of one's finger unite most 

 readily. There are usually enough twigs which can be twisted together in 

 this manner, but if one branch of the crotch should not bear a twig one may 

 be grown from a wedge graft — inserted in a slit in the bark. All the larger 

 branches of an apple tree may be braced together in this manner, and injury 

 from splitting will be mostly avoided. When a large branch shows signs 

 of splitting one cannot wait for the growing together of small limbs. In 

 such cases iron bolts must be used. Much damage to fine trees may be 

 averted if bolts are used as soon as a weakness is discovered. Half-inch rods 

 of considerable length may be run through the branches at some distance 

 above their junction. When crotches have been split down the branches 

 may often be brought together again and secured with bolts. The heads of 

 these bolts are soon grown over, and they have no injurious effect upon the 

 tree. 



Packing Apples. — The New England Homestead says: Take the hard- 

 wood barrel under the tree for convenience, pick the apples with care, place 

 them in without sorting, and when filled head the barrel without pressure. 

 Then wheel it into the fruit house, and let it remain there during the sweat- 

 ing or curing process. When ready to make a shipment the process of sort- 

 ing begins. Have a large table in the fruit house, and on it empty the bar- 

 rels, two at a time. Apples can be selected much better in this way than if 

 picked from a heap on the floor. Aim to select none but perfect apples, but 

 as those of every variety have different degrees of perfection in size, form or 

 color, make two classes and mark them accordingly. In packing or filling 

 the barrel, the object is to get into the package the largest quantity with the 

 least injury to the fruit. Apples are very easily injured by too much pres- 

 sure applied to them in packing and also by being packed too loosely. When 

 the barrel is properly filled, instead of putting on the proper head in the first 

 place and applying pressure to it, use a false cushion head which will play 

 loosely in the barrel. This cushion head is lined, a piece of old sacking 

 answering well for the lining. Considerable pressure can be applied to this 

 cushion head without injury to the fruit. Place this cushion upon the 

 apples, and apply the press with a pressure sufficient to get the apples to- 

 gether throughout the barrel. Then remove the false head and place the 

 head proper, apply the press and complete the work. In marking, use the 

 words "choice" or "medium," as the case may be, stenciled in small letters 



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