ll Pregame nh 
GIRDLING TO PRODUCE EARLY BEARING. 213 
thousand trees in my own orchard, Duchess trees, and I have yet to 
see the first tree that shows any signs of injury. The Duchess will 
stand girdling, but a great many varieties are so thin skinned they 
will not stand girdling. It will induce blight and sunscald, and 
they are likely todie. I have a good many trees that I have brought 
into bearing by girdling, first by the spiral method, then by the 
surface method, and they are now in fine condition. The CZ I men- 
tioned is one of those trees; it has been twice girdled; it has been 
manured and cultivated and twice girdled, and yet the tree is in 
fine condition. The Hibernal stands girdling yery well. I girdled 
a whole row of them, and I guess only ten percent of them were 
killed. Some trees are more likely to be killed by girdling than 
others. 
Mr. Wragg,(Iowa): Isit not saferto girdle one-half of the tree 
One year and the other half the next year? Perhaps my friend 
Somerville girdled too many trees at once. The first I girdled were 
only girdled half way around on the north side. I knew there was 
a greater circulation on the north side, soI girdled only half way 
round. Iam not afraid to girdle any hardy tree, as I know it will 
not kill it if itis judiciously done. This idea of having them go for 
us—I rather expected it, and it is not the first time a man has suf- 
fered for advocating something that was not popular. My friend 
Harris gives it as his opinion that it is a practice not safe to follow, 
but I think he will change his mind when he gets a little older and 
knows a little more. (Laughter). 
Mr. Pond: Do the beneficial results of girdling extend over more 
than one year? ; 
Mr. Dartt: I think itis avery good theory not to girdle une year, 
then the weund will grow over more thoroughly, and the chances 
are that its effects will last for two or three years, and then you will 
have to girdle again ona very hardy, thrifty growing tree. 
Mr. Van Houten,(Iowa): There is another principle that has rot 
been mentioned. We havea great many varieties that bear alter- 
nate years. Take the Jonathan for instance; itis a greatadvantage 
to girdle because you can throw it into bearing every year. Thatis 
one of the advantages of girdling in our country. 
Mr. Spickerman: Do you girdle the tree more than once? 
Mr. Van Houten, (Iowa): Only once; itis just done for the pur- 
pose of bringing it into bearing the year it would not bear, For 
instance, this next year is the bearing year, and you girdle it then, 
and it changes the fruiting year. 
Mr. Spickerman: Buttrees can be girdled more than once, can 
they not? 
Mr. Van Houten,(Iowa): Young trees that are thrifty and full of 
vigor can bear this year and next year also,and by girdling you 
change the fruiting season. They can be girdled more than once, 
but it is not necessary when done for that purpose only. When we 
are talking about the flow of sap a good deal of it is theory, and we 
can only change the results in the way I have indicated. 
Mr. Bush: I think another advantage we derive from girdling is 
this: I amtesting it now and have failed to kill a singletree. I 
I have an orchard that is planted too closely; I planted my trees 
