THE ORCHARD. 39 



covered. In other words, placing a protection merely on the surface of 

 the ground, does not control or perceptibly influence the top with respect 

 to the development of fruit buds and bloom. This has been abundantly 

 demonstrated in Colorado. The chief objection to the practice is that, 

 under a system of surface irrigation, it tends to encourage shallow rooting. 

 For this reason when applied to trees for any considerable time it must 

 be continued. Where sub-soiling, or trenching or under-irrigation is 

 adopted, the objection would in a measure be obviated. Therefore, in a 

 dry climate with open winters and almost perpetual sunshine, where solar 

 and terrestrial radiation are most marked and evaporation active, we 

 believe that the benefits of judicious mulching are far in excess of its 

 disadvantages. At the same time this should not supercede cultivation. 

 The soil should be frequently stirred and the weeds kept down, always 

 using care not to injure the roots or body of the tree. 



In addition to this it may be necessary to enrich the land by an 

 annual application of well-rotted manure or compost carefully worked in 

 around the extremities of the roots. This should always be done if the 

 soil is light or impoverished from any cause. Never let the trees lag for 

 lack of plant food. This will apply to old as well as young orchards. 



After the details of planting are attended to, it will pay the planter 

 to protect the trunk of every tree in some one of the ways illustrated. 

 The action of the sun's rays on the South and West sides of the tree is often 

 very harmful. Any heavy building paper may be used for making the 

 protection shown at Fig. 4. If tarred paper is employed, there should be 

 a space of two or three inches between it and the bark of the tree, and a 

 still safer plan is to line the inside of this with white paper of some kind. 

 Never place tarred paper directly in contact with the bark of a fruit tree. 

 When properly used, it is a valuable protection not only against the sun's 

 rays, but against depredations of rabbits and insect enemies of tree trunks. 

 A convenient way of protecting the cherry, plum and peach tree is by 

 wrapping a gunny-sack around the trunk and winding it with twine. A 

 prominent fruit grower of the East protects his trees from mice, rabbits, 

 etc., by cutting fine wire netting, such as is used for window screens, into 

 strips 18 inches broad, then into lengths to surround the trees, letting 

 them lap over considerably. He says this will also protect the tree from 

 the borer.* 



*Trees are often protected by simply wrapping them with light paper or straw, 

 or with strips of bark of various kinds ; but it is better not to have any protection 

 remain too long in contact with the trunk of the tree. 



