WHAT TO DO MONTH BY MONTH 



year instead. The practice eliminates "off 

 years." 



Mulch. If the orchard is in sod, keep the 

 grass cut close and scatter it under the outer 

 tips of the limbs where the water drips from 

 the foliage. That is where the feeding roots 

 are, and decaying grass mulch makes a fine 

 food. If the orchard is under cultivation, 

 keep the harrows working and form a fine dust 

 mulch. 



Disease. If the tips of the branches turn 

 black and the leaves dark brown, cut these 

 off one inch or more below the diseased twig 

 and burn. If fire bUght (dark, dried 

 blotches) appears on the pear trees, cut out 

 the diseased bark and swab the wound out with 

 corrosive sublimate (1-1000). If there are 

 any trees or hedgerows of hawthorn or an old 

 blighted pear tree in the community, have them 

 cut down and burned. After removing the 

 disease, sterilize the knife with the above solu- 

 tion each time to prevent infection. 



Berries. Mulch the strawberry plants with 

 347 



