42 THE ORCHARD AND FRTJIT GARDEN. 



accustomed to the sight of a scarecrow, and familiar 

 with its appearance, that I have known a bird build in 

 the habiliments of an old soldier set up to protect the 

 garden. J^oisy or moving scares are best, but they even 

 must be often changed, or familiarity will breed con- 

 tempt. 



Dwarf trees and currant bushes may be netted, as an 

 effectual protection from the depredations of the birds. 



"Wasps I believe cannot be warded off. The only 

 thing to do with them is to carry the war into the 

 enemy's country, by watching them home and destroy- 

 ing their nests. 



Protection from the heat of the sun is seldom wanted 

 in our climate, on the contrary, we should often be glad 

 of more of it than we can get, and a sufficiently luxuriant 

 growth of leaves will shelter enough. 



Protection from wind in exposed localities is best 

 managed by having dwarf trees, which may always be 

 low, sheltered, and safe. 



CHAPTER, VIII. 



DISEASES AND INSECTS. 



ONE destructive disease of fruit trees, canker, has been 

 described in the chapter on the choice of young trees. 

 Canker, properly so called, is a kind of dry sore, but 

 the name is also sometimes applied to a kind of ulcer 

 discharging sap or gum. 



Old trees are more frequently attacked by canker 

 than young ones, and the golden pippin, about the 

 oldest apple we have, suffers from it most injuriously. 

 Irony gravel as a subsoil is sure to bring canker. Sour, 

 badly-drained ground will also occasion it ; several other 

 inducing causes have been before mentioned, and it 

 attacks the roots as well as the branches. 



If it have greatly gained head it is incurable, and the 

 only plan is to destroy the tree, improve the soil, if 



