1 86 Practical Orcharding On Rough Lands. 



never allowing any grass, weeds or mulch of 

 any description to collect against the trunk. 

 Protection in winter from rabbits and mice by 

 means of wrappers as described under 'Tirst 

 Year's Care of the Orchard," should not be 

 overlooked, even after trees attain age. Visit 

 the orchard frequently in winter, and if water 

 should be found standing around the trees from 

 any cause^ it should be removed bv draining, 

 as standing water about trees freauently causes 

 bark trouble, and that means death. 



Other winter work has been mentioned under 

 ^Winter Care of the Orchard," such as remov- 

 ing the rough, loose bark, gathering, burying 

 or burning the mummied fruits, etc., etc. 



Pruning and spraying will be treated in 

 following chapters. 



To care for and cultivate the orchard means 

 to supply the trees with the necessary plant 

 food in the proper proportion for the develop- 

 ment of leaf, wood and fruit. To do this the 

 soil must be protected from extreme heat, 

 drought and washing, by the growing of plants 

 winter and summer. 



Moisture must be supplied in order that 

 plant food may be available, so that the grow- 

 ing of plants must be followed by a careful 

 use of them, that they may supply the necessary 



