THE FAILURE OF ORCHARDS, AND ITS REMEDY. 213 



knowledge gained in one thing to the successful accom- 

 plishment of another purpose. 



Now, then, if pomologists will observe all the funda- 

 mental requirements in the production of fruit-trees, by 

 selecting the best kernels for bearing trees, and cultivate 

 and train in strict accordance with the laws of vegetable 

 physiology, then encircle their young orchards with a com- 

 plete wind-breaker of trees, and cover the ground round 

 about the trees with straw or sawdust, to prevent the 

 frost from closing the tens of thousands of minute feeders, 

 which must supply the branches and buds with moisture, 

 even in cold weather, such an occurrence as a failure x of 

 fruit, in consequence of the severity of a long and cold 

 winter, would be rarely met with, save in the records of the 

 past. We have the cheering promise of seed-time and har- 

 vest while mortal life is prolonged. Seed-time has never 

 failed. If the fruit-harvest is cut off, we must look for the 

 cause of such a failure in the system of management adopt- 

 ed in tbe production and care of the trees. 



Many of the wise pomologists of America are beginning 

 to wake up to a proper appreciation of the serious mistake 

 of their fathers in denuding their farms of the last acre of 

 forest-trees; and many are beginning to repair this great 

 injury done by the stupid managers, by establishing belts 

 of deciduous and evergreen trees entirely around their 

 farms, to protect not only their fruit-trees, vines, and bush- 

 es, from the scathing influence of cold winds, but with a 

 view of shielding the winter crops of the field from the 

 same influences which have nearly cut off " the staff of life " 

 in those localities where bountiful crops of golden grain 

 were harvested, so long as the tender wheat-plants were 

 protected from the drying and withering influences of cold 

 winds by the surrounding forests. 



Management of Girdled Trees. -The true way in the 



