INSECTS AND DISEASES. 53 



lands of the West, which have been cut and burned, the ashes from 

 the burned wood has furnished all the lime and potash requisite 

 to success for a certain length of time ; but, already there are or- 

 chards in Ohio, where application of lime and potash in the form of 

 wood ashes or otherwise, is required in order to retain health of trees, 

 and perfection in fruit. The Western prairie soils require these 

 only ; of all other ingredients they are naturally abundantly sup- 

 plied, and application of animal manure is not needed. 



Cultivation. Cultivation of the soil of a young orchard is as re- 

 quisite to success as cultivation of a crop of corn ; but while the trees 

 should be kept free from weeds, suckers, insects, and the like, they 

 should not be so stimulated by application of animal or liquid man- 

 ures as to induce rank growth. All such over-supply of stimulus 

 induces a degree of tenderness in the constitution, early fruitfulness, 

 and consequent early decay. We recall to mind as we write, two 

 orchards planted about thirty-five years since, one of which has always 

 been highly, even excitingly, cultivated, and is now decaying ; while 

 the other has been more regularly and moderately grown, and is 

 now in a healthy fruiting state. All crops besides wheat, rye, oats, 

 and clover, may be grown in an orchard. Potatoes, peas, and corn 

 are most advisable. 



Priming. The pruning of the apple, as an orchard tree, if an- 

 nually attended, is but a light task ; it should consist mainly of 

 cutting away all branches that have a tendency to cross or overlap 

 one another to stop back side limbs that are apparently drawing 

 too rapidly and creating irregular form, and to cut out rank shoots. 

 This is the main of orchard pruning, after the heads are once formed, 

 as they should be at planting, or the first year thereafter, by cutting 

 to a regular rounded form. Some varieties produce their fruit upon 

 short spurs on the limbs ; others on the extreme ends of slender 

 shoots of previous year's growth, and must be pruned with reference 

 thereto ; others, again, naturally grow upright and thick, these require 

 thinning out ; while others, are of straggling, rampant habit, requir- 

 ing only the checking of branches at the ends to maintain an evenly 

 ba anced tree ; these points will be found partially noted in our des- 

 criptions of varieties. For the art of pruning, to create particular 

 forms for the garden, and of dwarf trees, we refer our readers to a 

 previous chapter. 



Insects and diseases. Of insects injurious to fruit trees, Western 

 cultivators have, until within a few years, been comparatively ex- 

 empt ; they are now, however, through the great amount of importa- 

 tions of trees from the Eastern States, becoming numerous and 

 troublesome. 



The Borer, (Saperda bivittata), is increasing ; destroying yearly 

 many trees, and impairing still more. It is an insect that should be 

 watched and checked on its first appearance. It is destructive, not 



