342 The Principles of Fruit-growing. 
formed and the tree has re-established its equilibrium, 
fruit-bearing may be expected to begin, if other con- 
ditions are right. 
It will next be necessary to begin hunting for 
borers and other squatters and campers. The trees 
will very likely need to be thoroughly sprayed to 
dislodge the army of hangers-on which has held 
undisputed possession of the territory for a decade 
or two. 
If the trees are of the wrong varieties and are 
still vigorous, it will probably pay to top-graft 
them, as already explained (page 298), if they are 
apples, pears, oranges, or cherries. Old and poor 
peach, apricot, plum and quince trees had better be 
pulled out. 
Why are orchards barven?—It may be suegestive 
if the matter of renovating old orchards be put in 
the form of this question and categorical amswers 
be given. It will help the grower to diagnose the 
trouble, and it will impress him with the fact that 
he is the man to solve his own difficulties. The 
commonest reason why old orchards are barren is 
because they are in sod,—that is, heeanse they are 
untilled and unfed. There are men enough in the 
country—although they have been greatly in the 
minority--who have boldly taught that sodded_ or- 
chards are wrongly managed orchards. They have 
been ecombatted by citations of orchards which are 
in sod but are still produetive. They have replied 
that in some cases, for a combination of reasons, 
orchards may do well in continuous sod, but they 
