Show TOFT w pr owr ia t act t 1 A 1 t at SHARP TEETH OF RODENTS KILL TREES corn stalks for the alro screen by f 11 BALLOU mice rarely injure trees except where grass manure boards or trash of some kind about the base of the tree prove a hiding place as they prefer to perform their depredations under cover in bounding mounding moun ding ault trees first clear away the grass trash or mulch from the base ot the tree for a toot or more in all durec alons with the foot or better with a post tamper thoroughly firm the soil about the base of the tree this breaks down and fills any runs or burrows that may be just below the surface with two shovels ful of fresh soil or cinders make a small mound 12 or 14 inches in diameter at the base and young apple tree with wood veneer wrapper having the earth mounded around it for protection against both rabbits and borers from four to six inches high about the stem of the tree firming the soil well the tops of these small mounds are usually kept quite bare by the sweeping force of the winter winds even if there be several inches ft snow on the ground mice will not venture out in these exposures to feed on the bark of the trees and burrowing into the freshly packed coil Is not likely to be attempted in the winter even in open weather the mounds may be left throughout the year but they should be camped tamped hard and repaired each autumn aln ders are most excellent material tor this purpose as mice will not burrow through them the wire screen Is an ideal and complete all round protector and Is given first place among the leal forms being light and open it prevents the least obstruction to the strong winds the ar and sunshine are freely and no dark places of concealment such as invite the wooly aphis and other forms of insect life are afforded use galvanized w ire cloth of H inch mesh the 24 inch width being the most convenient for apple trees cut into 12 inch sections they should be carefully bent or rolled over a small round piece of wood allowing the edges to lap about one inch the cyl inders are then placed about the trees where their own tension will close them securely one inch mesh poultry netting will protect the trees against rabbit but not from mice but in combination with a slight mound of soil about the base of tree mice will rarely prove troublesome there Is no device superior in et rabbits and ground hogs as corn stalks and certainly none cheaper for the farm orchard A good plan Is to take the bundles of stover as they come from the field square off the butts and cu off a length of the lower ends of tho these sections may be fed to the even in a manger or in the feed lot where the blade will be cleanly and neatly stripped off five or six stalks bound firmly about the stem of a young tree with twine or abort sections of wire will consal tute a protector that will last for sev eral seasons the stalks readily yield as the stem of the tree increases in size in case wire ties are used for bind ing on the stalk these must be removed from about the tree when the stalks are taken off or thy will drop down about the collar of the tree and become covered with oll and forgot ten trees have been killed vy wire girding in this way it Is difficult to treat you ig trees successfully that have been by rabbits or other predatory animals whether any treatment will succeed or not depends largely on how bad the girdling Is if the barli Is taken off clear around the atiee so aa to expose the wood the aljy remedy Is to bridge graft this Is done by insert ing a scion both above and below the wound and of course cannot readily be done except in spring while this can ba done successfully it Is am practical for a oung tree and the chances are that tt would be more profitable to pull out the tree and reset with new stock it the girdling Is not particularly severe it can be helped by trimming the ragged edges of the bark with a sharp knife then covering the surface with grafting wax or other ma terdal to keep the wood from drying out till new bark grows over and heals the wound A great many newly planted trees die because of carelessness in filling the bole it Is important that this work be carefully done it the soil which was removed from the bottom of the excavation bo hard and lumpy it should be placed to one side and the surface soil used first in filling the main thing to remember in fill ing la that every part of the root system should be in contact with the soli unless it Is the exposed areas will be points for the loss of moisture and the drying out of the roots the soil surrounding the roots must be fine it they are to be well covered either loosen the eoll in the bottom of the bole or throw n two or three estul of loose earth so that when the tree Is put in it will sink clentry into the soil so that all under surfaces will be in good contact with it the soil may then be filled in using the fine soil first and compacting it well around the roots there is little danger of compacting the boil too much unless it be of a clayey nature and somewhat moist after the first few spade fuls have been put in the boll may be packed tramping be careful in these do the damage the soil not to crowd the tree out of place the soil should not be mounded at the base of the treo above the natural level ot the land the top two inches being left as loose and fine aa possible |