MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES. 399 



branches, for this will injure the tree. Remove the fallen limbs and 

 rubbish and burn them at a convenient distance; this should be done? 

 not only for the sake of neatness, but it will also destroy the eggs of 

 many insects. Study those varieties of fruit that succeed best in a 

 locality. If there are vacant corners in the lots plant some apple 

 trees there. I have noticed isolated trees bear more fruit than those 

 in orchards, hecause they are not crowded, as the case usually is when 

 many trees are together. — Robert L. Dean, in Farm and Vineyard. 



RENOVATING RUNOUT ORCHARDS. 



We often meet with an orchard of apparently healthy trees, which 

 is practically fruitless. The owner may tell us that it formerly bore 

 abundant crops, but of late years the trees have "run out." Why have 

 they "run out?" They formerly gave good crops of apples. All the 

 other land on the farm was expected to give but one good crop, but 

 this of the orchard was made to give a crop of grain, or a crop of grass 

 or clover, to be taken off as hay. The soil soon became tired of doing 

 this double duty. The trees "gave out" because they were robbed of 

 food; the first thing they need is feeding. Of course, if the soil needs 

 draining, lay the needed tiles at once, or as soon as the soil will allow. 

 Such orchards are usually in grass ; draw on a heavy dressing of ma- 

 nure and spread it, and, as soon as the soil is in proper condition, turn 

 over the sod and the manure with the plow ; with the hot weather the 

 sod will decay rapidly. When this is found to be well rotted, give 

 another plowing, and a deep one. If ashes can be had, spread a heavy 

 coating and harrow; in the absence of ashes, harrow in a good dress- 

 ing of lime. If the trunk and larger branches are covered with loose 

 scales of old bark upon which lichens and mosses have a foothold, 

 scrape off the loose bark, using a blunt, short-handled hoe as a scraper. 

 Then in a damp time or thaw, wash the trees with soft soap, made thin 

 enough to apply with a brash. Use home-made soft soap, made with 

 lye or potash. That sold at the stores is usually merely hard soap 

 mixed with water and very deficient in strength and quite inferior to 

 the home-made. Mix the soap with enough water to work readily, go 

 over the scraped portions with it, and leave the spring rain to finish 

 the work. In due time the bark will be found beautifully smooth and 

 deprived of all foreign growth. The soap that has been washed into 

 the soil will act as a useful fertilizer. Long neglected trees usually 

 require pruning, and this must depend upon the condition of the tree. 

 Never cut out a branch without good reason for it. If the top has 



