224 LESSONS IX AGRICULTURE 



lilli'd with cement. The rough bark should he scraped 

 off, and the trunk of the tree washed with lime or soap 

 suds. The trees should then be sprayed for scale, as 

 suggested in the last lesson, and when the blossoms fall 

 next month, the trees should be sprayed for codling 

 moth, as will be explained in a later lesson. If the soil 

 in our old orchard is poor and has not been cultivated 

 for many years, a top-dressing of stable manure and 

 lime worked into the soil will help to renew it, and bring 

 the old trees into new fruitfulness. 



Practical Exercises 



1. Pruning a Young Apple Tree 



Bring to the schoolroom young nursery stock ap- 

 ples and peach trees, one and two years old. Select a 

 good specimen of apple tree that has grown several 

 side branches and a strong leader. Prune back the side 

 branches to four or five buds, leaving an outside bud 

 just below the cut surface on each pruned branch. Head 

 back the leader to six or seven buds. The little tree 

 is now ready to enter its season of growth. 



Next March the portion of the tree left as a leader 

 the year before would have to be pruned as the little 

 tree was at first, and so on until a scaffold of strong, 

 stocky branches were formed low down on the trunk of 

 the tree. See figure 62. 



2. Pruning an Old Apple Tree 



Go to an old orchard where the trees have been neg- 

 lected and have grown tall and unshapely. First cut 

 out all dead and dying branches. Remove all limbs 



