SIXTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 55 



of the trees and tramps the soil down so the mice will not work 

 in it. Vou want to pack down the soil so they won't work 

 throngh it to the roots. We had a little trouble last }'ear; 

 sometimes they will work under the surface. I have seen in- 

 stances where they girdled the roots under the ground for quite 

 a distance. 



A Member : Suppose there is snow on the ground ? 



]\1r. Cox : We are so situated we don't have snow like 

 you do up here. 



A Member : Why not bank up a little around tlie trees ? 



Mr. Cox: That may be all right, but I don't do it. 



A Member: How would it do to surround the tree with 

 tarred paper? 



Mr. Cox : I don't know ; I never tried it. 



A Member : Do you put that mulch on when you set the 

 trees ? 



]Mr. Cox: Yes; we put manure around the tree when It is 

 set out; reasonably close to it and then we pile up some mulch 

 around it after mowing. I do no cultivation on mv farm 

 except in the garden, and not enough there. 



A Member: \\'hat about the railroad worm? 



Mr. Cox : We don't have that in Ohio. 



A Member : Are you troubled with borers ? 



Mr. Cox: Yes, sir; I expect we have lost as many trees 

 from borers as am-thing else. If you keep all the mulch away 

 from the body of the tree and stamp down the ground it may 

 help. It is mostly new orchards that are troubled \\ith them. 



A Member : How many times do you generally mow tlie 

 orchard ? 



i\lR. Cox : Generally twice. The last time al)out the last 

 of August or first of September; it depends on the season and 

 we leave it on the ground, you know. 



When we pick we take the barrels into the orchard and as 

 fast as we pick the fruit we ha\e wagons that haul them as fast 

 as they are filled and they are taken to the barn and tlien frc^m 

 there to the cold storage. I have known those apples to be 

 kept until the next June and not have a rotten one in the 

 barrels ; and I have had some kept in cold storage for two years 

 and they are as sound today as when they were put in two 



