STATE HORTICULTURAL SOGEETT. 271 



to unfold its buds, and as long as the season is wet and until the 

 dry spell sets in, keep all mulching oflf and let the sun warm the 

 soil ; but as soon as the drouth comes then 



MULCH. 



I am not so much of an enthusiast on this subject as my friend 

 Pearce. I tried heavy mulching one year to my sorrow, I just 

 piled it on late in the fall and kept it on in the spring. Other of 

 my trees started, but the heavy mulched one remained as dormant 

 as if it was January. The month of May went by and not even an 

 opening bud. In despair I raked it away and found the earth 

 frozen beneath. Now I rake it away early in the spring, spade up 

 the soil all about them to let in the sun's rays, and later on put it 

 back again as a protectian against the dry weather. [ use coarse 

 manure for this, not only as a good mulch but also as a fertilizer. 

 I think hsavy mulching the year 'round is a mistake. The culti- 

 vated apple tree has a mass of fibrous rootlets near the surface and 

 is not like the wild forest tree whose roots strike deep into the 

 earth. It was accustomed to cultivation in the nursery and there 

 its surface roots developed without any mulch. Let it drink 

 in and feed on the warm sun in the spring, but protect it from its 

 fierce rays in summer, and as winter approaches, give the earth a 

 coating of manure about it as a covering against frost. 



CULTIVATION. 



I think an orchard ought to be cultivated. The best authorities 

 say so, and my own experience confirms it. But do all your cult'" 

 vation early so as not to promote a late growth. 



KEEP THE BAEK HEALTHY. 



In the spring I go over my trees with a solution of strong soap 

 suds — even weak lye will do no hurt. I take an old broom and 

 pail and I thoroughly scrub the bodies and up into the limbs with 

 it. It kills the insects that may have hidden there, makes the 

 bark look fresh and healthy and promotes vigor of growth. 



RABBITS AND MICE. 



Many a young orchard has been killed by these pests gnawing 

 the bark in winter. The cheapest and best thing I ever tried was 



