276 The Principles of Fruit-growing 



as an extreme resort, for it is better to keep the bark fresh 

 and elastic by good tillage and by the use of washes; but 

 the slitting is of no damage to the tree, as a rule. 



Scraping trees. 



The outer layers of bark gradually die and peel off. 

 This old rough bark is of no direct use to the plant, but it 

 probably affords some protection to the tender tissues 

 within. It also affords a lodgment for insects and fungi. 

 Trees in good condition of growth and which are watched 



carefully, will need very 

 little, if any, attention 

 in the removing of the 

 ^p / bark; but if the shaggy 

 \j bark accumulates to any 



FIG. 99. Scraper for cleaning and repair- great extent, it is Well 



to scrape off the loosest 



part. The operation should be performed when the warm 

 weather approaches in spring, or, hi fact, at almost any 

 time in the growing season. A good tool for this purpose 

 is an old and thin hoe, the handle of which is cut down to 

 about 2 feet in length. This tool is grasped lightly, and is 

 raked up and down the tree, and it removes the rough 

 bark readily. The best tool for the purpose, however, is 

 that shown in Fig. 99, which is a steel plate with sharp- 

 ground edges, fastened securely to a bent shank. This 

 tool may be had of hardware dealers, to whom it is known 

 as a box-scraper. Aside from removing the loose bark 

 from the trunks, this tool is useful in cutting out and 

 removing diseased spots on the bodies or in the crotches. 

 The wounds resulting from the barking of trees may be 

 trimmed down to fresh tissue by such a tool and a knife, 

 and all spots injured by bark-borers, spots of pear-blight, 



