acute hss eR i ate a 
GIRDLING TO PRODUCE EARLY BEARING. 211 
_ liable to be affected by. I do not know that there is anything fur- 
ther I need to say at the present time, because I expect to treat of 
the matter more fully in my report which I intend to write. 
Mr. Harris: In one way I agree with Mr. Dartt, that if you take 
all the bark off it will not always die. As far as that goes I agree 
with him, but [ do not believe that the orchardist of Minnesota had 
better try girdling to a very large extent in his orchard. I know 
from an experience ot from fifty to sixty years that the girdled tree 
may heal over and look perfect, but the inner wood is damaged, and 
it hurts the tree justas much as it would a man to run him through 
a threshing machine, for instance. But it is a good idea to get 
those trees out of the way if they are worthless. 
Mr. Kramer: I have tried a different method in former years to a 
considerable extent. I have always heard from my father, who is 
dead long ago, that when you want to plant a tree and make it grow, 
find out the sun side and set it on the sun side. He was very good 
at finding anything out; we did not have those books to read, but 
he always worked for himself when he was after anything, and he 
never cut a tree in any way except on the north side. He never 
touched the south side; he said the south side had trouble enough 
without cutting. He always cut the north side in step-like form 
clear down to the roots. The north side is always much softer and 
the sap will run through and make the tree bigger. 
Mr. Somerville: When aman has as many trees as Mr. Dartt has 
he can afford to experiment, but I will say that it is a very danger- 
ous experiment to try an orchard. I have tried it, and I have killed 
some fine trees. [I was out at Mr. Dartt’s place last spring and saw 
where he had girdled a great many trees. When [ got home I 
thought I woald try it, and on the 16th day of June I girdled about 
twenty trees four or five inches in diameter. The result was I killed 
nearly two-thirds of those trees, or they are as good as dead. They 
have ali blighted on the southwest side. It is the first trouble of 
the kind I have ever had on my place. You understand it is the re- 
sult of a violation of the laws of nature, and we are only earning 
our reward for such violation. If we must kill trees we might adopt 
some quicker method. I thinkif you girdle a tree for three years 
the only thing itis then fit for is the brush pile. I tried it twenty 
years ago when in the nursery business. I tried different varieties 
in order to hurry them along; I would, perhaps, get two or three ap- 
ples, but it was at the expense of the loss of the tree. I never had 
but a few trees that were worth anything afterwards. I do not think 
the practice should be recommended. 
Mr. Dartt: What varieties did you girdle? 
Mr. Somerville: Ican hardly tell you at this time. I have girdled 
some of the Brett’s seedling that were large trees; I have girdled 
the Arcade. I cannot tell you all the different varieties I have 
girdled, but I think one-third of them are as good as dead. 
Mr. Dartt: Do you know that they never blighted before? 
Mr. Somerville: They never blighted in the world. I will tell 
_ you, the Arcade never blighted inthe world. I killed two of those 
trees I would not have taken twenty dollars apiece for. If you 
