LIGHT FROM THE SOCIETIES. 



763 



ern shipment. That cured from the ripe fruit was in 

 every way much superior to the other, both in appear- 

 ance and taste. 



A Serviceable Tree-Protector.— In figure i the pro- 

 tector is shown in position about an apple tree. Figure 

 2 shows a convenient and rapid method of making the 

 protector. The laths may be cut 

 either two or three feet long, accord- 

 ing to the height of thetrunksof the 

 trees for which they are intended. 

 Seven or eight laths are sufficient for 

 one protector. The wire used is 

 about No. 18 in size, and may be of 

 iron, brass or copper. Brass and 

 copper are more durable than iron, 

 but their greater cost may over- 

 balance this advantage. As a rapid 

 means of measuring off the wire, it 

 may be wound lengthwise about a 

 piece of board 18 inches long for an 

 eight-lath protector, or 16}^ inches 

 if seven laths are to be used. The 

 wires may then be cut at one end of 

 the board with the cold chisel or 

 tinner's shears. The protectors may 

 be rapidly put together on a common 

 work-bench by means of the simple 

 device shown in the second drawing. 

 Procure a piece of strong elastic 

 wood about four feet long, and three- 

 fourths of an inch thick, to serve as the spring shown at 

 the upper part of the drawing. Then tack two blocks 

 to the top of the bench near the rear side to serve as a 

 support for the spring. Now drive three nails into the 

 bench near the front side, at the distance apart at which 

 the wires are to be placed on the protector. The end 

 wires should be about three inches from the end of the 

 laths. Next twist the ends of the wires together for a 

 short distance, beginning about three inches from the 

 end, and place one of the wires about each of the nails 



Fig. 1. 



Tree-Protector. 



NG THE Tree-Protector. 



in the front of the bench, as shown. Place another 

 shorter wire, having the ends bent into hooks, about the 

 outer end of the spring, and slip the first lath through 

 the four wires, as shown in the drawing, bending the 

 spring sufficiently to make this possible. The spring 



now acts as a tension to keep the wires taut. Insert the 

 second lath, lifting up the lower strand of wire and 

 slipping the lath beneath that, and over the other strand, 

 thus crossing the two strands. Then with a hammer 

 gently drive up the second lath toward the first until the 

 two are about one-fourth of an inch apart. Insert the 

 other lath in the same manner, after which unhook the 

 wire connecting the spring with the first lath and loosen 

 it from the protector. In placing the protector about 

 the tree, simply bend it around and insert the free ends 

 of the wires beneath the wire of the first or second lath, 

 clinching it enough to hold securely. The protector is 

 to be left on summer and winter, until the tree outgrows 

 it, or the wires rust off. The protector not only prevents 

 sun-scald on the trunk, but is an effectual preventive 

 against injury from rabbits and other rodents, as well as 

 from whifSe-trees used in cultivation. — Prof. E. S. Goff, 

 before the Wisconsin Horticultural Society. 



Pruning Deciduous Fruit-Trees. — First, select good 

 strong young trees. One year old from the bud, if well 

 grown, is the proper age. With the exception of the 

 apple and pear and cherry, I would not accept trees over 

 one year old from the bud. The plum, peach and apri- 

 cot trees, if properly grown and not too crowded in the 

 nursery-row, should be 3^ to 5 feet high, stocky and 

 well-branched. Lay off your block of ground in squares 

 from 15 to 20 feet each way — 15 I believe enough for the 

 peach and plum and 20 for the apricot. When the trees 

 are set, go carefully over each one and cut all side-shoots 

 close to the main stem, after which cut that down also 

 within 18 inches of the ground, Set your trees as a rule 

 very little, if any, deeper than they were in the nursery- 

 row. Sift the soil carefully among the fine and fibrous 

 roots, but leave them in as natural a position as possible. 

 After the roots are all covered, firm the soil solidly with 

 the feet ; in fact, plant the trees as solid as posts, draw- 

 ing some mellow soil about the stems as a mulch when 

 finished. If all is well, your 18-inch stub in due season 

 will put forth many shoots all along the stem. Rub all 

 off as soon as they get an inch or so in length, except, 

 say three ; leave these on opposite sides near the top. 

 Allow these to grow the first season at will, rubbing off 

 all others, from time to time, as they grow. The second 

 pruning should be performed, if possible, just previous 

 to the pushing of the next season's growth, as, indeed, 

 all pruning should be. This allows but a short time for 

 the severed points to dry back before the uprising sap 

 supplies the wounded part with moisture, when the heal- 

 ing process at once sets in. While this is not of much 

 importance where only small branches are removed, it is 

 of vast importance where large wounds are made, espe- 

 cially on older trees, or varieties that are sensitive to the 

 pruning-knife. 



The branches that have grown from two to four feet 

 each in the first season should again be cut back fully 

 two-thirds, and each branch in turn allowed to make 

 from two to three branches each ; these, at the end of 

 the season, will average three feet or more, and your 

 trees will have from six to nine strong branches. Each 



