TREATMENT OF FHUIT TREES. 325 



the bark ; the worm eats away a considerable surface, 

 often nearly girdling the tree before his invasion is dis- 

 covered. The latter injury can only be suitably met with 

 the sharp knife, in the hands of the ever-wakeful orch- 

 ardist, who watches his trees with lynx-eyed vigilance ; 

 but the former evil maybe prevented by a very simple 

 contrivance, and one that is particularly recommended for 

 the cherry, that has its bare and polished shank exposed 

 to a hot sun, after having been drawn upward in search 

 of light and air in the close rows where it grew. The 

 application consists in a wisp of straw gentlj^ tied to the 

 stem, and extending from the branches to the ground. 

 As the trees grow larger, the straw may still be applied 

 with advantage to the cherry, which appears to suifer 

 from sunshine, both in the Winter and Summer, more than 

 other trees ; for the larger trees, a straw rope is used, 

 wound about the stem; but a couple of boards tacked 

 together, and set up to the south and south-west sides, 

 have been found a very'efficacious protection. 



Low-headed trees are, on many accounts, to be preferred 

 in our climate, even for the apple, the great orchard fruit. 

 These sholild have their training commenced in the nur- 

 sery, but it is seldom there attempted, on account of the 

 desire with most purchasers to see tall trees : often mere 

 whip-stalks, trimmed up clean and straight, will sell more 

 readily than stout, stocky young trees, containing every 

 element of future beauty and usefulness. Always select 

 such when it be possible, remembering that we have 

 already agreed that the ground planted in fruit should 

 not be appropriated to pasturage, and hence the tall stems 

 are not needed to keep the fruit and foliage up out of the 

 reach of cattle. 



Having selected properly grown trees and planted and 

 tended them as already advised, the Summer pruning for 

 the first few years becomes a matter of great importance. 



