294 The Principles of Fruit-growing. 
growth for the first two or three years, but when 
the bearing time arrives, this enormous growth is 
checked and the tree spreads. However, in such 
cases, it may be advisable to head-in the tree for a 
time, or until the period of maturity begins to ar- 
rive. It should always be borne in mind, however, 
that this heading-in is not the fundamental corrective 
of the difficulty; in fact, it rather augments it. It 
is a question, therefore, if it is not better to pre- 
vent redundant growth by withholding tillage and 
fertilizers, rather than to produce it and then to 
take it off. 
Winter preparations.—In winter, plants are exposed 
to injuries of wind, snow, water, ice, mice, rabbits, 
and the like. Before the season closes, the farmer 
should see that young trees stand stiff and straight, 
and in order to keep them rigid and to afford good 
surface drainage, it is sometimes well (especially with 
newly set trees in cold climates) to bank up the 
trees with earth to the height of six or eight inches. 
In making the bank, the workman should be cau- 
tioned not to leave holes, from which the earth is 
taken, close about the tree, for the water is likely to 
stand in them, and it may do harm. In small-fruits, 
grapes and nursery stock, it is often advisable to 
plow a furrow to the plants, upon either side, in the 
fall. Care should be taken to provide for top drain- 
age if the conformation of the land is sueh as to 
hold surface water. 
A word should be said respecting the protection 
of trees from mice and other vermin. Mice and rab- 
