186 SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENS 



branches that grow unevenly during the summer. For the 

 first three or four years, cut back from a half to a third of 

 each season's growth. Prune every year during the latter 

 part of the winter or in early spring. Remove all dead 

 wood, or thin the branches if they become crowded. 

 All large branches must be cut close to the main stem, 

 so that the wound will grow over and not make a hole 

 in the tree, as it so often does when long stubs are left. 

 Paint the cut surface. 



Spraying. For the disease known as apple scab, spray 

 with the 5550 formula of Bordeaux mixture. Give 

 three sprayings just before the petals open, just after 

 they fall, and from ten days to two weeks later. For 

 San Jose scale, spray with lime-sulfur late in the win- 

 ter or early in the spring. For the coddling moth, 

 spray with arsenate of lead or Paris green just before 

 the petals open, just after they fall, and two weeks later. 

 Never spray while the trees are in full bloom; it will 

 destroy some of the fruit and kill the bees that visit the 

 blossoms. Where it is necessary to spray for scab, the 

 arsenate of lead or Paris green and the Bordeaux mix- 

 ture may be applied at the same time. 



If the trunk of the tree is infested with borers, which 

 may be detected by a small amount of sawdust where 

 they enter, or by the withered appearance of the bark, 

 dig for them with a wire or a pocketknife. 



Gather all nests of brown-tail moths, gypsy moths, or 

 tent caterpillars during the winter. If any are seen in 

 the spring, burn them with a kerosene torch. 



