J due (^alerjdar. 



J. S, HARRIS. 



ORCnARi* AND Nursery. —With newly planted trees, it will pay 

 to g'ive a little time every few days to examining their condition. If 

 they are loose or leaning- to one side and toward the north, a minute 

 spent in pressing the soil about them with the foot will often save 

 them from sunscald and prevent them from becoming unsightly 

 objects. A mulching, if not already given, should be provided to 

 enable them to withstand the heat and drouth that is almost sure to 

 set in a little later; almost anj' substance that will cover the soil 

 from the sun will do. 



It is a great satisfaction to know the names and location of the 

 ditferent varieties in the orchard. The labels from the nurserj' are 

 soon lost, or the name becomes obliterated, and a record of the name 

 and position of every tree should be made in a pocket memorandum 

 book. 



Grafts set this spring should be looked to. Cut away all shoots that 

 come upon the stock below the graft, that they may not rob it of 

 nourishment, and if the graft is spindling up too tall it may be 

 pinched back into shape. See that thej^ have plenty of room and 

 are not interfered with by surrounding branches. 



June is the best month for light pruning and getting trees into 

 proper shape; and all pruning should be attended to while the 

 branches are so small that it can be done with a penknife. Cover all 

 cuts with varnish, paint or melted g-rafting- wax. 



Whenever j'oung trees are bearing freely, it will pay to thin the 

 fruit. Overbearing exhausts the vitality of the tree, and liberal 

 thinning increases the size and improves the quality of the fruit. 



The root grafts set this spring should be cultivated often and kept 

 clean from weeds, and the one year and older trees will need prun- 

 ing and putting into shape; and, if it is not delayed too long, it can 

 be niostl}' done by rubbing off the sprouts not wanted aa fast aa they 

 start. 



Insects. — This is the aeaaon when iuaecta are getting in their 

 work. Most of the kinds can be kept in check by spraying the trees 

 with Paris green or London purple. For the plum curculio and 

 apple gouger, jarring the trees and catching the insects on sheets 

 spread under is safer than poison. Great numbers of the codling 

 moth can be trapped under hay, paper or cloth bands, which should 

 be examined once a week and the insects found under them de- 

 stroyed. About this time the eggs of the borer are deposited on the 

 trunks of trees. One of the best preventatives is washing the trunks 

 and larger branches with soft aoap thinned to the cousistencj' of 

 whitewash. The addition of a small quantity of carbolic acid will 

 prove beneficial if care is taken to keep it off the foliage. Rul>bing 

 the bark of the tree vigorously once a week during the month with 

 a corn cob crushes the eggs and young larv:e before the}' burrow 

 under the bark. Placing a heap of tobacco stems around the butt of 



