HORTICULTURE 101 



wider in order that there may be at least two rounds of the netting 

 encircling the stem of the tree. Rabbits and woodchucks will not 

 be able seriously to injure a tree thus protected. This form pre- 

 sents no obstacle to the work of mice ; but mounding slightly, in con- 

 nection, will baffle these little pests. 



Wood Veneer. This style is effective against all kinds of ro- 

 dents ; but, as they form a tight, close, light-excluding cylinder, vari- 

 ous forms of insect life thrive in the crevices and under the cover 

 thus provided. The woolly aphis or root louse, when present in the 

 orchard, increase in great numbers on the bodies of the trees under 

 such covers. While the veneers are excellent protectors for the 

 winter season, both from injury by rodents and from winter injury 

 to the stems of the trees, they should be removed during the summer 

 season. The different forms of wire cylinders are preferred. 



Corn Stalks. There is no device superior in effectiveness 

 against rabbits and groundhogs than this, and certainly none 

 cheaper for the farm orchard. There is practically no cost of ma- 

 terial where corn is grown or cornstalks fed. A good plan is to take 

 the bundles of stover as they come from the field, before feeding to 

 the stock. Lay the bundle on a low platform or broad, low box, and 

 "square-off" the butts with an ordinary "Lightning" hay knife. A 

 solid block and a broad-ax may be made to answer, but the hay-knife 

 is much better. Next cut off a two-foot length of the lower ends of 

 the stalks in the same way. These sections may be fed to the stock 

 either in a manger or in the feed-lot, where the blades will be cleanly 

 and neatly stripped off. After a. few days' feeding several hundreds 

 or even thousands of these uniform length stalks may be rapidly 

 gathered up and tied in bales for future use. Five or six stalks 

 bound firmly about the stem of a young tree, with twine or short 

 sections of baling or broom wire, will constitute a protector that will 

 last not only for one season but for several or as long, usually, aa 

 the tree needs protection from rabbits. The stalks readily yield as 

 the stem of the tree increases in size. In case wire ties are used for 

 binding on the stalks, great care should be exercised to see that these 

 are removed from about the tree when the stalks are taken off. If 

 not removed they will drop down about the collar of the tree and 

 become covered with soil and forgotten. Trees have been killed by 

 wire girdling in this way. By mounding the bases of the trees 

 slightly with fresh soil and firming it well, a stalk-protected tree is 

 quite secure from all rodent enemies. 



Combination Wire Cloth and Corn Stalks. This form will ap- 

 peal to the most exacting. The stalks protect the stems from rabbits, 

 while the 8-inch wire cloth cylinders, cut from the same material 

 completely baffle the mice even in badly infested orchards. The 

 wire cylinders should be forced down two or three inches in the 

 ground. These cylinders are formed from sections of wire cloth 

 8x12 inches in size. Cost, about 1 cent each. 



When trees have attained the age of six or seven years they are 

 usually beyond the period of injury by rabbits. We then have to 

 protect only against mice. The short, galvanized wire cloth cylin- 



