STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETT. 225 



and to keep it in a proper position until the rootlets have obtained 

 a firm hold in the ground, so that winds cannot move it. Next, 

 get some common binder wire, cut it in pieces thirty-eight inches 

 long, double it, fastening the ends together. Then take two of 

 these pieces, place them across a work-bench about two feet apart, 

 then take eight pieces of lath and weave them into the wire simi- 

 lar to carpet weaving, cut the lath the length that your tree is 

 headed from the ground; stand the lath around the tree, fastening 

 the ends of wires together and making it fast to the stake until the 

 tree is of sufficient size to support it. This forms a complete cir- 

 cle around the tree and forms the cheapest and most perfect pro- 

 tection against the sun, rabbits, mice and other animals; also sap- 

 suckers, one of the greatest pests among the birds. It also forms 

 a partial guard for whiffletrees, which should be made with pieces 

 of old tugs and hooks attached, bolted on the back side of the 

 whiffletree, so they will not scratch or bark the tree if they do 

 touch it. The trees will grow so as to fill the lath boxes full in 

 six years, then they can be removed and used for young trees 

 again, as the others will need no further protection except care. 

 These will cost put on about six cents each, or one cent for 

 each year of protection until the tree is large enough to bear. 

 These can be mad^i in winter and on stormy days. If you do not 

 take interest enough in your trees to thus provide for their safety 

 the next best thing I can advise you to do is to go through the 

 orchard in the fall before it freezes and place some dirt around each 

 tree near the root. This will protect against mice, and a man can 

 fix from three to four hundred in a day. Blood rubbed on the tree 

 will keep rabbits away, but I think is of no benefit to it. Protect 

 against other animals as well as hired men as best you can, but be 

 sure and take some pains after you have been to the trouble and 

 expense of setting the trees. Next, if you are exercising a watchful 

 care over your orchard, you will discover that some pruning needs 

 doing, ever bearing in mind the saying that to spare the knife saves 

 the tree in this climate. Shape the top of the tree by cutting out 

 the small limbs, and avoid if possible any trimming after the tree 

 is six years old ; and always avoid cutting limbs out of the crotches, 

 and when pruning carry some grafting wax with you to cover cuts 

 on limbs of half an inch or over to exclude the air. And now per- 

 mit me to say, visit your trees often, form the acquaintance of each 

 one, and whenever you find one failing for any known or unknown 

 cause, don't wait until it is entirely dead and broken down before 

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