224 



FRUIT AND ITS CULTIVATION. 



a more permanent character, the identity of the varieties 

 becomes a matter of conjecture, if not a loss. The best 

 of all labels for fruit trees is the " Acme " (Fig. 93). 

 This is made of zinc, with raised white letters on a black 

 ground; and, if it is secured to the branch by means of 

 copper wire, it wi.U last as long as the tree. It is neces- 



Fig. 94. PRESERVING NEWLY-PLANTED TREE. 



A large gridiron trained Pear Tree which had been transplanted to a new 

 position. In order to keep the bark moist and assist the tree to recover from 

 the removal, the trunk and lower branches were encased in hay bands, these 

 being kept constantly moist. From a photograph taken by the author m Holland. 



sary, however, to examine the wire ligatures from time 

 to time to see that, as the branch increases in size, the 

 wire does not cut into the bark. It is advisable in the 

 first instance to so arrange the ligatures that ample space 

 is allowed for swelling of the branch. .Another method 

 is to get some zinc labels, burnish the face of these quite 



