THE CAEE OF THE TRUNKS OF APPLE TREES. 25 1 



since because they split down. Don't set a crotched tree ; cut one 

 or the other side off, and don't let it crotch afterwards. 



I have had several trees spoiled by the so-called sap-sucker, 

 though Prof. Lugger told me they did not and could not suck sap 

 but that they punched the holes so the insects could get in there, and 

 then they went around and ate them. Observation has convinced 

 me that he is right, so I call them the "tree punchers" now, and 

 when I see one in my orchard the old shot gun comes out, and I 

 take no rest until I have him. 



To sum up : Protect your trees from rabbits and sun-scald with 

 lath protectors ; from the careless man or boy with a club, if need 

 be ; from the mice by banking up one foot with dirt in the fall ; and 

 from fungous growth and rough bark and insects by using the 

 scraper and soap suds. Cut away crotches and paint all wounds 

 thoroughly. The shot gun is a sure remedy for the tree puncher. 

 The bad boy? Oh, give him what apples he can eat and a few for 

 his pockets, and he will be your friend. 



Mr. J. M. Underwood: In considering this subject I think 

 perhaps it should be treated from two different standpoints. It 

 does not make much difference when a man has a dozen or fifty trees 

 as to what method he practices so long as it is a good one, but when 

 he has five thousand trees or a commercial orchard it makes a great 

 deal of difference. I have been all through the experience of pro- 

 tecting trees with lath, and I don't like it. In the first place it is 

 not as convenient as some other ways, and in the next place it is 

 altogether more expensive. I do not know what one of those pro- 

 tectors costs, but Mr. Philips says about three and one-half cents a 

 tree. I think that is altogether too low, but I will take his word 

 for it. I should say from the fact that burlap costs about two cents, 

 if the lath costs three cents burlap should not cost anything. I think 

 burlap is much superior to anything I have tried. It is cheap, easy 

 to apply, and it is successful in accomplishing the desired result. 

 Now a tree needs protection only when it is young, when the bark 

 is thin, when it gets old and tough it stands well enough. When 

 the limbs grow close to the ground it is a good idea. Let your team 

 walk between the rows and let your cultivator go out next to the 

 trees, and then your whiffletrees will not hurt the trees. There is no 

 trouble about that ; I have found that way very successful. This 

 protection of burlap is all we need. You can use cornstalks or 

 rye straw, the only objection to rye straw being that if it contains 

 any grain it will attract the mice, but if the rye straw is cut before 

 the grain is matured and then put on it makes a fine protection for the 

 trunks of trees. It goes up into the crotches and limbs of trees and 

 adjusts itself to every condition— but so does the burlap. We put 

 on the burlap and let it remain until it is gone. We have never dis- 

 covered any damages done by insects. On old trees we keep the 

 butts clean. 



