•18- 



plants. For fruit trees, the clips 

 can be used to hold plastic ba'ler 

 twine in the ground to spread 

 scaffold limbs and to hold erect, 

 young trees that have leaned. A 

 loop is placed in the end of the 

 twine and the loop is placed onto 

 the W clip that has been placed on 

 the end of the applicator. In the 

 spring when the soil is moist, the 

 ^^ clip can fairly easily be forced 

 6-10 inches into the ground. The 

 plastic baler twine can then be used 

 to straighten up a tree trunk or to 

 spread a branch. The advantage the 

 W clips over wooden spreaders is 

 that the point of application of the 

 spreading force can be placed any- 

 where along a limb. By moving the 

 point of spreading force further out 

 on the limb, some of the spreading 

 action can be placed onto the limb 

 itself and less placed on the crotch. 

 The flexibility in being able to 

 move the point of attachment seems 

 to be a major advantage over wooden 

 spreaders. In addition, for those growers interested in spreading 

 peach and other Prunus species, the W clips and baler twine have an 

 advantage in that no nail holes are made in the bark where cytospora 

 canker could enter the tree. 



On the negative side, the twine coming out of the ground up to 

 the branches must not be hit with equipment. Using an offset nozzle 

 at the end of the weed boom should allow herbicides to be applied 

 without hitting the trees. 



Supplies : 

 Source : 



W clips - 2000 

 Applicator - 4 



per carton, 22 lbs 

 lbs. 



Hop Growers Supply Co., Inc. 



PO Box 325 



Toppenish, Washington 98948 



Attn: Jim Owens 



Phone: (509)865-3731 



Cost 



1 



1 carton (2,000 w clips) 

 1 clip applicator 

 U. P. S . on cl ips 

 U.P.S. on applicator 

 Handling 



$18.40 



10.90 



10.06 



3.51 



10.00 



$52.87 



Editor's Note: 



Cost of supplies based on quotes received July, 1983 

 At press time we were informed that Orchard Equipment and Supply 

 Company, Conway, MA 01341 sell W clips and twine. 



