FRUIT PLANTATIONS AND THEIR CARE 39 



the bark of young trees in winter. My present plan 

 is to surround each trunk near the ground with a 

 collar of tarred roofing paper loosely curved, but I 

 may later choose a galvanized fine wire mesh to in- 

 sure better circulation of air. 



" I do not see why the mulch cage cannot 

 replace laborious and expensive clean cultivation 

 and expensive special fertilization of the ground 

 for all sorts of orchards. It seems to have 

 solved the problem in connection with a few fruit 

 trees on which I have tried it. The trees grew so 

 rank that it was a question at first if they would 

 not spend all of their force in making wood, but 

 plum trees, especially, bore so enormously in addi- 

 tion to making growth, that further experimenta- 

 tion will be desirable." 



