12 



The trees should be furnished with branches low enough to partially 

 shade the trunks to the ground, or if not, in planting should be 

 leaned toward the southwest, especially for the central and northern 

 portions of the State. This will prevent damage to the trunks on the 

 southwest side, commonly called sun-scald, which invites attacks of 

 the Hat-headed apple tree borer, Chrysobothris femorata. 



S. Cultivation of Orchards Previous to Bearing. 



We recommend planting the orchard to corn, where practicable, 

 otherwise to potatoes, for six or eight }^ears, until the trees commence 

 bearing; and in no case should small grains or grass be sown or 

 allowed during these years of preparatory growth.* 



./. Treatment of Bearing Orchard*. 



A.— Care of soil. We recommend that perennial grasses be not 

 sown or allowed in orchards; but if orchardists, to diminish wood 

 growth and increase their crops of fruit, sow any grass-like plant, let 

 this be clover, as this harbors a less number of species of injurious 

 insects than those grasses which form a more dense mass of foliage 

 and a closer sod. 



Late fall plowing is not advised, as a rule, yet occasional plowing 

 in late autumn is a valuable practice where the canker-worms, white 

 grubs, [larva- of the May-beetles], tarnish plant-bugs, or other insects 

 which pass the winter upon or under the ground, are troublesome. 



Orchardists should bear in mind that continued healthy vigor of 

 the trees throughout their lives is essential to prevent the attacks of 

 injurious insects, and to enable them to resist or recuperate when so 

 attacked or preyed upon. If, therefore, at any time, the trees exhibit 

 a sickly or unthrifty appearance, the soil should be manured and 

 cultivated. 



B. — Mulching. Whenever mulching is applied, the portions im- 

 mediately about the collars of the trees should be mixed with ashes 

 or lime to prevent insects working there under cover of the mulch. 

 Mulching may be beneficial as far as insects are concerned, by giving 

 shelter to our insect friends— as lady.bugs, predaceous ground-beetles, 

 etc., or it may be harmful by protecting our enemies, especially in 

 seasons when insects which pass the winter in the perfect state have 

 been abundant. Careful examinations alone can determine its utility 

 in this respect. 



( '.---Care of trees. 



C. 1. Pruning, so far as relates to insects. Twigs, upon which are 

 found the eggs of injurious insects, should be cut off and burned, 

 unless they can be entirely destroyed by hand picking and crushing. 



These include eggs of the tent-caterpillars, which are found three 

 hundred to four hundred in a bunch, surrounding the twig; eggs of 

 the tree-hoppers, which are found in little slit- immediately beneath 

 the outer bark \ eggs of the leaf-lice, minute shining black globules 

 scattered upon the twigs of the last year's growth. 



>Notk.— The members ol the Committee representing the insect Bide, would prefer, as far as 

 prevention of Insect depredatio - i oncerned, to continue in the orchard the clean culture 



tended for 1 1 1 • - uu reery, 



