Practical Orcharding On Rough Lands. 161 



of a steel rake. A few licks about each tree 

 will break up the crust and conserve the mois- 

 ture. This continued until midsummer has 

 given very satisfactory results. 



Care of Trees the First Season.— After 



the trees are in place they should receive their 

 jfirst pruning, which is described in Chapter 

 on 'Truning for the Welfare of the Plant." 

 An application of soft soap will prove advan- 

 tageous in keeping the bark bright, clean and 

 healthy, as well as elastic so when the trunk 

 expands with the rapid growth it will ^not 

 burst as we see frequently on neglected trees 

 that have been brought into sudden growth 

 by cultivation or fertilization. 



"Each spring take your soft soap pot 

 And paint each tree throughout the lot, 

 This will insure a healthy kind, 

 Kill worms, lice, bugs of every kind." 



In the fall the trees should be prepared for 

 winter by taking the dirt away from around 

 them down to the roots and examining them 

 for the borers. If any be found they should be 

 removed with a sharp knife, sometimes a wire 

 is used, simply prodding the worm to death 

 and leaving the channel covered with bark. 

 This practice has one serious disadvantage; 

 that of allowing the water to enter, filling the 

 channel, which - when frozen may burst the 



