40 FIELD NOTES ON APPLE CULTURE. 
orous growth by a liberal application of marure, if the 
soil is not strong, and by frequently stirring the soil. 
Keep off all insects. It will not be necessary to cut the 
tree back to a mere stump, as is often done. After the 
proper form of the young top is decided upon, pinch back 
or cut off the tips of all the twigs, and repeat the opera- 
tion during the whole season. If the tree has a very 
stroug leader it may be necessary to cut it off entirely. 
If in a windy place, most slender trees will need to be 
staked. I do not believe in the advice of many that it is 
an injury to the tree to stake it. Some of the finest and 
straightest trees I know were staked for the first two 
- years after being set. If staking can be avoided con- 
veniently, it would, of course, be folly to resort to it. It 
is a good practice to stamp a sod firmly against the tree 
on the side towards which it leans. If the sod is large 
and properly placed, it will often answer all the pur- 
poses of a stake. There are two troubles connected with 
staking : the string or band is apt to gall the tree, and 
the stake protects the tree from the wind in one direction 
only. Toavoid the galling, I have found it best to use a 
strip of ticking or flannel an inch or so wide, tied 
snugly about the tree. Sncha band will yield enough to 
allow the trunk to expand with growth: Rye straw, 
when cut before the grain is ripe, makes excellent bands. 
A stake upon each side of the tree, with a band tied 
across, will keep the tree in place much better than a 
single stake. 
Trees which have been broken down by cattle, can often 
be saved by tying them firmly against a stout stake both 
below and above the break, and by thoroughly covering the 
