22 One Thousand Questions in Agriculture 



where the rabbits have priDied back to 4 or 5 inches the very ones I wanted, 

 what should be done? Some say, cut these back to the stem, allowing new 

 shoots to start from the base of branches so removed. 



Cut back to a bud near the stem, or if you do not see any, cut 

 back near to the stem, but not near enough to remove the bark at 

 the base of the shoot, for there are the latent buds which should 

 give you the growth. This should be watched, and the best shoot 

 selected from each point to make a strong branch, pinching back 

 or removing the others. 



For a Bark Wound. 



What is best to do tvith an apricot or prune tree when it has been hit 

 with an implement and the bark knocked off? 



Cut around the bark wound with a sharp knife so as to remove 

 all frayed edges. Cover the exposed v/ood with oil and lead paint 

 to prevent cracking, and the wound will soon be covered with new 

 bark from the sides. 



Bridging Gopher Girdles. 



How shall I make the bridge-graft or root-graft over the trunks of 

 trees girdled by gophers? Has tliis method proved successful in saving 

 trees three or four inches in diameter, and how is it done? 



The bridging over of injury by mice by grafting has been known 

 to be successful for decades in countries where this trouble is en- 

 countered. Undoubtedly the same plan would work in the case of 

 all bark injuries which can be bridged. The plan is to take good 

 well-matured shoots which are a little longer than the injury which 

 has to be spanned, making a sloping cut on both ends, also a cut 

 into the healthy bark above and below the injury, and slip the cut 

 ends of the cutting into the cuts in the bark so that the ends go 

 under the bark above and below, and the cut ends are closely con- 

 nected with the growing layer of the stock. If the cutting is made 

 a little longer than the distance to be spanned, the tendency of the 

 cutting by straightening is to hold itself in place. When in place, 

 the connections should be covered with wax to prevent drying out. 



Soil-Binding Plant for Winter. 



What would be the best to plant in an orchard on ground of a light 

 sandy sediment ivhich, after plotving, zvill move with the strong winds? 

 I would like to plant something that zvill benefit the ground. The winds are 

 the strongest from December to April. This is in the irrigated district and 

 I need something that will make a sod during that period. 



We would, in all the valleys, advise a fall irrigation (if the rains 

 are late) and the sowing of burr clover, which when started in 

 September will have the ground well covered by December, if you 

 keep the moisture right to push it. Disking or plowing this under 

 in March (or April, according to locality) will hold the sand and 

 afterward enrich it. You can do this every year, but probably you 

 will not need to seed it more than once. 



