124 DA VET'S PRIMER 



Now, children, take a look at Leon, cleaning the 

 tree. 



"Should trees be kept clean?" 



Why, certainly, Mollie. John Wesley said, 

 " Cleanliness is next to godliness." The venerable 

 gentleman might have made it a little stronger and 

 declared that cleanliness is a part of godliness. 

 Horses and cattle that are not properly fed and 

 cared for often become afflicted with annoying in- 

 sect pests, and even the human body, when left in 

 a filthy condition, will become infested with disgust- 

 ing crawling insects the penalty for the sin of un- 

 cleanness. The tree does all it can to throw off old 

 bark with all the dirt and dust that accumulates 

 thereon, and the storms help in blowing away these 

 tattered rags. 



Besides this there is about one-fifth as many 

 breathing pores on the new bark as there is on the 

 leaf. It is not wise to take draw-knives and 

 hatchets and smooth down the bark on large oaks, 

 elms and native shade trees, destroying all the 

 ridges, but a strong spray of water should be fre- 

 quently turned upon the trunks of such valuable 

 trees and thus keep them clean. Apple trees, how- 

 ever, do become quite filthy, and should be cleaned 

 with a curry comb or some other implement. Pears 

 and other fruit trees, also, should have watchful at- 

 tention. This dislodges the insects and destroys their 

 hiding places, and when the tree is " sprayed " it 



