ORCHARD PROTECTION. 



67 



ingenious ways of furnishing protection to peach buds has 

 been tried by Prof. Whitten of the Missouri Experiment Station 

 who worked on the well known principle that dark colors absorb 



Fig. 21. Protection of young trees . a. Trunk protected by wooden 

 box. b. Trunk protected by lath screen, c. Trunk protected 

 against mice by mound of earth. 



more heat than the lighter ones. He found that light colored 

 peach twigs were slower about starting into growth and con- 

 ceived the idea of spraying peach trees with lime wash to pre- 

 vent their starting on mild days in winter. He claims to have 

 been very successful in this practice. 



The roots of fruit trees may be seriously injured in winter. 

 This may result from the use of a root stock too tender for 

 the section in which the tree is grown. For instance, in Iowa, 

 North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota the best root to use 

 for the plum is the Prunus americana, but when they are scarce 

 the nurserymen there often use the Mariana, Myrobalan or even 



