FRUIT TREES, GIRDLED BY MICE. 139 



upon for supplies of new food in the spring, must 

 be, to a considerable extent, destroyed." 



The following method of cultivating the straw- 

 berry we think one of the best : Early in the spring, 

 select young runners of the past season, strike 

 out the rows three feet apart, setting the plants 

 about one foot distance in the rows. These plants 

 will cover the beds the first season, and produce 

 well the following year. After bearing, they are 

 then dug in, which is done every season, the 

 plants bearing but once ; a new plantation 

 being made every spring. This method is prac- 

 tised successfully by Mr. J. C. Lee, at his 

 grounds on Dearborn Street, Salem, Mass. 



FRUIT TREES, GIRDLED BY MICE. 



The meadow or field mouse frequently injures 

 or destroys trees, particularly in winter, when 

 there are deep snows, by gnawing the bark quite 

 round the limb through into the wood. 



The best method to preserve such trees is to 

 procure long scions, and, as soon as the bark will 

 peel, which will take place on the movement of 

 the sap, to insert them by bark grafting or inarch- 

 ing one end under the living bark below the de- 

 barked circle, and the other under the correspond- 

 ing bark above ; then take strong bass matting, 

 and bind it closely above and below, covering the 

 whole with a composition of clay, cow manure, 

 and hair finely incorporated, in order to keep out 

 the sun and air. Each end of the scion must be 

 pared away upon one side, previous to their being 

 set, as described in the article " Grafting under 

 the Bark." 



