250 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTUBAL SOCIETY. 



If we are to succeed in growing fine fruit for many years and 

 make our orchard a profitable investment, our diligence must not 

 cease when the trees are bought and set, but we must be constantly 

 on the watch to protect them, not only from the careless boy or man 

 with the cultivator, but to keep them in clean, healthy condition of 

 growth. 



To protect the trees from sun-scald and rabbits I use the lath 

 protector made as follows : Cut the lath in the center. Use an an- 

 nealed wire, a little smaller than is used for a grape trellis. (No. 

 12 is used for grape trellis. Ed.) Cut in pieces four feet long 

 and double them in the center. Lay on a bench or table and place 

 a piece of lath between each wire as doubled, each wire being about 

 four inches from either end of the lath. Bend the under wires up 

 and the top wires down, and place another piece of lath between. 

 Bend the wires as before, until nine or ten pieces of lath are used. 

 Twist the wires closely around the last piece of lath and your box 

 is ready for use. To fasten it, run one of the ends under the wire 

 on the opposite side of the box and bend down. I consider these are 

 the cheapest and best protectors in use. They will last ten or twelve 

 years with reasonable care. When put on newly set trees I fill them 

 with soil in the fall for two or three years, taking them off and re- 

 moving the dirt early in the spring. 



These boxes should be removed from the trees in September 

 and any insects or nests found inside destroyed, and then left ofif 

 until November. Some time in October I go over the trees with a 

 scraper and remove any rough bark, moss or fungous growth found 

 and keep my eyes open for borers. Then I make a strong solution 

 of soap and water, using one-half bar of good soap to twelve quarts 

 of water. With this I wash the bodies from the limbs down, letting 

 some of the suds run down the bark into the soil. Trees ten years 

 old or more seldom need protectors. 



Suckers from the roots of apple trees should be removed, cut- 

 ting them as near the root where they start as possible. August 

 is the best time to do this work. All suckers coming from the trunk 

 of the tree or large limbs should be removed, and any unnecessary 

 shoots not needed for the top should be cut away. If it is necessary 

 to remove any large limbs from the tree, cut close and paint with 

 white lead and oil. 



Some nine years ago Mr. Dartt visited me at my home and in 

 looking over my young orchard he noticed several trees that forked 

 where the top formed. He advised me to cut one of those forks off 

 at once. I did not do it but have had to remove several of them 



