334 Slaic Ilorliciiltural Society. 



should extend slightly into the ground at the base of the tree. These 

 wrappers have the advantage of admitting light to the bark of the trunk 

 and of enabling the orchardist to see through the wrapper so he can de- 

 tect any injury that may be going on under the wrapper. It is not neces- 

 sary to remove the wrapper to see whether or not borers, wooly aphis, 

 mice or other depredators have found a possible entrance. 



A spiral wire rabbit guard is sometimes used. This effectually keeps 

 out rabbits. 



The trunks of the trees may be wrapped with corn stalks, or coarse 

 grass, if these are available and they have the advantage of costing noth- 

 ing but the labor of applying them. 



Cheap bandages of cheese cloth, or other cheap cotton fabric are 

 employed. The cloth is torn in strips a few inches wide and applied 

 just as a bandage is wrapped around an injured limb, carrying it high 

 enough up the trunk to exclude depredators. The last end of the cloth- 

 bandage may be split, so the two ends may be tied around the trunk to 

 hold the wrapper in place. 



Wooden veneer wrappers, which are made by box and basket com- 

 panies, are perhaps the cheapest and best wrappers for large commercial 

 orchards. They are simply a thin slice of wood, like that employed in 

 the manufacture of berry boxes, made 15 to 18 inches high and one foot 

 wide, so they will enclose a young tree. If the tree is too large for one 

 wrapper to reach ground, two of them may be employed for a single 

 tree. They are held in place by two small wires wrapped around near 

 the top and bottom. If these wrappers are employed they should not be 

 more than one-twelfth of an inch thick. Some growers contend that 

 these wooden wrappers injure the trees. We have used them for years 

 at the Experiment Station, however, and have observd no injurious re- 

 sults. They are also used in some of the largest commercial orchards 

 in the State and usually give good satisfaction. They are cheap, may 

 be quickly applied and will last about three years. They should be re- 

 moved once a year to see that the tree is given room to enlarge and that 

 no other injury is going on under them. 



With us newly transplanted trees make better growth the first year, 

 where their trunks are shaded from the intense heat of the sun by means 

 of these wrappers. In the case of young trees being set in the fall their 

 trunks often remain fresh and green under these wrappers during win- 

 ter, when unprotected trees show drying and shriveling of the tender 

 bark, particularly if the winter is cold and dry. 



Mice. — Mice frequently girdle young trees just at the surface of the 

 ground. They do not work on the trees, however, unless dead grass or 

 other litter is abundant enough around the base of the tree for them to 



