AND FRUIT GARDEN. 103 



It is more frequently, and indeed nearly always, 

 confined to trees with a long exposed trunk that 

 have an inclination to the northeast. 



This is not always fatal to a tree, as sometimes 

 the injury will be partially mended by the natural 

 deposits of wood and bark from both sides till the 

 wound is wholly or partially healed over. Even 

 where this occurs it is still very injurious to the 

 the tree as it leaves beneath a large portion of dead 

 wood which is apt to decay and will in any case be 

 almost sure to attract the insect that produces the 

 borer. She will deposit her eggs there and the 

 borer follows. I believe that this will seldom or 

 never occur in a perfectly sound tree. 



This sun scald has been generally considered one 

 of the worst obstacles to overcome in the making 

 of a good orchard. It is now not considered at all 

 serious, with proper management. The reader is 

 referred to the chapter on pruning where this 

 malady and its causes are treated. If the tree has 

 the proper natural form it will not occur. 



Young trees seldom scald; it is the tree from 5 

 to 8 inches in diameter in early bearing that is the 

 first to show this trouble; so do not suppose that 

 when the trees are this size that the danger is over, 

 it has only just begun, and lose no time in mak- 

 ing for them an artificial screen of some kind. 



Wire screening, such as is used for windows, encir- 

 cling them will be an excellent protection, and like 

 all the others will not only protect from the sun's 

 rays but the depredations of field mice, rabbits, 



