294 The Principles of Fruit-growing. 



growth for the first two or three years, but when 

 the bearing time arrives, this enormous growth is 

 checked and the tree spreads. However, in such 

 cases, it may be advisable to head -in the tree for a 

 time, or until the period of maturity begins to ar- 

 rive. It should always be borne in mind, however, 

 that this heading -in is not the fundamental corrective 

 of the difficulty ; in fact, it rather augments it. It 

 is a question, therefore, if it is not better to pre- 

 vent redundant growth by withholding tillage and 

 fertilizers, rather than to produce it and then to 

 take it off. 



Winter preparations. In winter, plants are exposed 

 to injuries of wind, snow, water, ice, mice, rabbits, 

 and the like. Before the season closes, the farmer 

 should see that young trees stand stiff and straight, 

 and in order to keep them rigid and to afford good 

 surface drainage, it is sometimes well (especially with 

 newly set trees in cold climates) to bank up the 

 trees with earth to the height of six or eight inches. 

 In making the bank, the workman should be cau- 

 tioned not to leave holes, from which the earth is 

 taken, close about the tree, for the water is likely to 

 stand in them, and it may do harm. In small -fruits, 

 grapes and nursery stock, it is often advisable to 

 plow a furrow to the plants, upon either side, in the 

 fall. Care should be taken to provide for top drain- 

 age if the conformation of the land is such as to 

 hold surface water. 



A word should be said respecting the protection 

 of trees from mice and other vermin. Mice and rab- 



