148 FLORIDA FRUITS ORAXOES. 



case we cut deep through outer and inner bark ; in the 

 other we carefully remove a ring of the outer bark only, 

 from one to three eighths of an inch wide, cutting entirely 

 around the tree or branch, if we only desire to try the ex- 

 periment on the latter. A knife or small saw, with the 

 teeth set wide, will do the work effectually. 



There is an apple orchard out West where alternate rows 

 of young, unbearing trees were girdled, and two years 

 after they were loaded to the ground with the finest fruit, 

 while the rows between them, of the same age, not girdled, 

 had not a single apple on them. 



This practice of girdling is both rational and effective, 

 and is destined to give the intelligent fruit grower consid- 

 erable command over his trees. 



When early bearing is desired the ring of bark should 

 be removed while the tree is growing, during the previous 

 year. For early ripening and increased size of fruit, gir- 

 dle just after the fruit has set. Another way of girdling, 

 which we prefer, consists in winding wire two or three 

 times tightly around the tree, so that the return flow of 

 sap will be retarded. 



Still another way of inducing barren trees to bear, is to 

 drive into the trunk a circle of nails close together ; this 

 has the double effect of girdling the bark sufficiently to 

 retard the sap (which always leads to the formation of 

 fruit), and of introducing into the body of the tree an 

 element which is as needful to vegetable health as it is to 

 human namely, iron. 



Yet another method of producing fruit was discovered 

 in rather an amusing way some years ago. A high tem- 

 pered man became angered at two of his neighbors, and 

 as they would, in all probability, have objected to his re- 

 lieving his feelings by beating them, he went into his gar- 

 den, where stood two thrifty old plum or pear trees that 



