RENOVATING OLD ORCHARDS. 71 



lime may be dissolved iu water and applied to the trees 

 with an old garden pump or syringe, which has the same 

 effect. Then scrape off from the stem and the larger 

 branches all the old and loose bark. This may be done 

 by a small hoe or piece of iron hooping. Such loose bark 

 is a receptacle and safe retreat for all kinds of insect 

 pests, and when it is removed the bark should be washed 

 with a mixture of lime, tobacco juice, and quassia; and 

 if thus dressed, it will soon present a clean, bright, and 

 healthy appearance. 



As to the improvement of the ground, and the treat- 

 ment of the roots of such trees, much may be done in this 

 direction. There are some who advocate severely cutting 

 back the roots by digging a trench a few feet from the 

 stems all round the trees, and filling in this trench with 

 fresh soil. The addition of the fresh soil undoubtedly 

 does good by supplying the tree with fresh nutriment ; 

 but by cutting back the roots in the way named, I con- 

 sider that as much harm as good is done by it, and the 

 tree is considerably checked in growth for one or two 

 years. A better plan is to dig the surface round the trees 

 for a space of six or eight feet from the stem, but on 

 no account let this digging be too deeply done. Merely 

 turn over the turf, if there is grass below the trees, to a 

 depth of three or four inches, the object being not to 

 cut away or disturb any of the roots, but to feed, 

 strengthen, and encourage them. The mere opening of 

 the soil, and allowing the sun and air to penetrate, is 

 in itself of some advantage, but ifc should be followed 

 up by the application of suitable manure on the surface. 

 This will encourage the formation of fresh fibres, which 

 will soon result in a general improvement in the tree 

 throughout. In some cases I have seen this digging 



