70 



with saw and axe at spasmodic intervals, and gives his orchard what he calls 

 'a good cleaning up.' Large and important limbs are sawn or chopped off 

 with the idea of allowing the horses to work close to the trunk of the tree, or 

 the centre is ruthlessly removed to let in the sun and air. After several days 

 of such heroic (?) work, the poor bleeding, crippled orchard is left to recover 

 from its wounds as best it may. This is not pruning, but is simply butchery, 

 and many fine orchards have been destroyed in this way. On the other hand, 

 if proper care is taken of an orchard from the beginning, it should rarely be 

 necessary to remove a large limb, and when such is the case, every precaution 

 should be taken so that the wound may heal over rapidly and with as small a 

 scar as possible. 



It sometimes happens, however, that the orchard has grown away from 

 the owner before he is aware of it, and it then becomes necessary to bring it 

 back within bounds. This is particularly the case in some of the older sections 

 where San Jose Scale has obtained a foothold, and a process of dehorning then 

 becomes necessary. There are many apple and peach orchards throughout 

 Ontario where this has been practiced with good results, an entirely new head 

 having been formed on the trees in the course of a short time. Large branches 

 should always be cut off close to the trunk of the tree, with, if possible, a lateral, 

 in the case of dehorning, projecting just below. Wounds should be covered 

 with a lead paint or some preparation for protection against the weather, to 

 encourage a rapid healing over, and to avoid an ugly scar or rotting in the centre 

 of the tree, when large limbs have been removed. 



The main object in pruning is to establish a strong, vigorous, symmetrical 

 tree, one capable of carrying the maxium crop with the minimum strain on 

 its various branches. An hour spent in an orchard with an experienced, intelli- 

 gent pruner, will do more to illustrate and emphasize correct pruning than 

 many laboured treatises on the subject. 



SPRAYING. 



It is only a few years since spraying has come to be considered one of 'the 

 essentials of successful orcharding. To the average man, it looked like a great 

 waste of t me in the busiest season of the year to go into the orchard and sprinkle 

 a fine spray over the trees wh ch might be washed away almost before morning 

 should a rain storm set in. However, those who had tried it out and who had 

 realized its benefits, kept steadily working away and advocating the practice.. 

 Scientists kept on studying the action of the various compounds which were 

 proposed, until at the present time, spraying has had almost all of the uncertain- 

 ties eliminated, has been reduced to an exact science, and no one expects to raise 

 first class fruit unless his trees and vines are carefully sprayed according to 

 approved methods. 



Large plants have been erected for the exclusive manufacture of spray pumps 

 both hand and power, and factories have been established in many places which 

 make nothing else but standard spray mixtures. 



A solution of lime and sulphur, combined with a certain proportion of arsen- 

 ate of lead, has become the panacea of the fruitgrower for nearly all troubles 

 which threaten his orchard, be they insect or fungous. 'Spraying without 

 ceasing' has become the watchword and woe betide him who, when the time 

 comes to dispose of his crop, has neglected this part of the care of his orchard. 

 The inspector will be after him, the buyer will neglect him, and the general public 

 will roundly censure him because his product will not by any means have the 

 quality which careful, thorough spraying would have insured. 



Spraying calendars issued in bulletin form by the Departments of the Agri- 

 cultural Colleges and Experimental Farms, and also by the manufacturers of 

 appliances and spray materials, give in detail the most approved formulas which 



