CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



is necessary, though irrigation may often be lessened, and in some 

 cases obviated, by extra cultivation or mulching, at least until the 

 trees come into bearing. 



Guarding Against Sunburn. Newly-set trees should be pro- 

 tected against sunburn. This can be easily done by winding strips 

 of burlap from old grain sacks spirally around the stems beginning 

 just below the ground surface to the points where the young shoots 

 will appear. When these start the strip can be loosened and 

 rewound so as to protect the bark between the shoots. The top can 

 be fastened with a stitch or two with a twine needle. Manufactured 

 "tree protectors" of paper or rushes which are readily adjusted 

 around the trees are now largely sold. Whitewash made according 

 to the formula at the close of Chapter IX is a good protection from 

 sunburn. For young trees, however, it should be made with air- 

 slacked lime, which has lost some of its causticity. Another white- 

 wash, which has been largely used for young trees, consists of four 

 ounces of whale oil soap dissolved in each gallon of water, Spanish 

 whiting being stirred in to give the solution a paint-like consistency. 

 Millions of trees have perished in this State, and as many more been 

 condemned to sickly lives, because of sunburn, and borers which 

 seek the injured bark for entrance. Pruning has much to do with 

 saving trees from this evil, as will be shown in the proper connec- 

 tion, but in the hotter parts of the State, the first precaution should 

 be to shade the bark of the young tree with some artificial protec- 

 tion. 



Cutting Back at Planting. Whatever idea the grower may have 

 as to shaping his tree, it must be cut back when planted. Lifting 

 from the nursery has removed a considerable part of the root system 

 of the young tree and the top must be reduced accordingly. The 

 planter who dislikes to sacrifice the fine top will sacrifice future 

 growth and vigor by retaining it. The tree may struggle through 

 and regain strength, but it will for years be smaller than if it had 

 been properly cut back at planting. If the moisture supply should 

 be short the tree may die the first summer which would have sur- 

 vived if differently treated at planting. The manner of cutting back 

 depends somewhat upon the style of pruning to be followed after- 

 ward, as will be considered in the next chapter. 



