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advantage that it may have in regard to moisture.'- ' 



PROF. BROOKS. I must say that from my own 

 experience where I find that there are natural differences in 

 productive capacity which I can't account for, I am still a 

 little bit inclined to wonder whether that side of the field is 

 not naturally a little better than the rest. You also spoke 

 of thorough preparation of the alfalfa plot by the addition 

 of lime, and, I think you said, some manure. Were the 

 other plots treated in the same way? 



DR STEWART. They^ were so far as lime was con- 

 cerned, but not in regard to manure, because there wasn't a 

 very large application of the manure and it was put in be- 

 tween the trees rather than around them. 



PROF. BROOKS. I should think that might have some 

 effect, considerable effect. What is your experience on 

 that? 



DR. STEWART. We are testing out the manure 

 thoroughly with annual application and much heavier in 

 another part of the same field, and my belief is that the 

 comparatively light manure application that was put on the 

 alfalfa has very little to do with the present superiority of 

 its trees. 



MR. DERBY. I want to ask how you control the mice 

 in your mulched trees. 



DR. STEWART. We control them by means of 

 galvanized wire screens, about 18 inches square, made with 

 Number 20 wire, and 3 meshes to the inch. You can get' 

 those screens in 36 inch widths, in rolls, and when you split 

 it right down through the middle you get the 18-inch width 

 with selvage on one side which is enough. (Dr. Stewart 

 illustrates with a strip of paper how it is fastened). It 

 costs about 7 cents per tree and in the long run is the 

 cheapest method I know of. Where borers are bad, most 

 any kind of coating that you care to put on your trees will 

 do. and it will keep mice and rabbits away, providing you 

 can get a satisfactory coating. I have been at it for six 

 years and am not yet in a position to recommend what I 

 would call a satisfactory coating, but I believe we are 

 making a little progress. I believe that as soon as we can 

 get a satisfactory coatmg to cover the bases of our trees 

 and which will keep the borers out, instead of poking 



