292 



The Principles of Fruit-growing 



surface of the wood, as already explained, is kept fresh. 

 It is usually best, however, if no connection of bark 

 remains, to bridge over the girdle by cions. These cions 

 are of the same kind as those used for ordinary grafting. 

 The edges of the girdle are pared down to fresh wood, and 

 the cions are cut 2 or 3 inches longer than the width of 

 the girdle. They are whittled to a wedge shape on either 

 end, and these ends are inserted between the bark and 

 the wood on the upper and lower rims of the girdle. They 

 should be so numerous as almost to touch each other en- 

 tirely around the tree. After they are inserted, a strip of 

 cloth should be bound tightly upon the bark over their 

 ends, and the whole girdle should 

 then be waxed over. It is a good plan 

 to pour alcoholic wax over the work, 

 allowing it to run in between the 

 cions and cover the edges of the 

 bark and the exposed wood surface. 



Hail injuries. 



The injuries caused by hail are 

 very often confounded with those 

 wrought by borers and other pests, 

 and it is the delight of many persons 

 to endeavor to puzzle the experi- 

 menters and teachers with specimens 

 of such work. Plum limbs injured by 

 hail-stones are shown natural size in Fig. 105. Nothing 

 special can be done for such injuries. They soon heal. 



Sun-scald. 



Often it is necessary to shade the trunks of young trees 

 to prevent sun-scald, particularly in the hot plains region. 



FIG. 105. Injuries by hail- 

 stones. 



