Show amard icoler CROPS FOR MULCHING ane of the best means of protecting roots of apple and cherry trees keeps the soil moist the relation of soil moisture and loll 1011 cover to root killing of apples and berry stocks baa been studied at the stations the results showed that a straw mulch or colef rop that mats down like a straw mulch tenda to prevent freezing and iltem ate freezing and thawing and thus reduces injuries to the roots any method of culture that leaves ha ground perfectly bare in the tall bus favoring deep freezing and al cemate freezing and thawing Is no to bo recommended where root killing la at all common A cover crop is ona if the best means for protecting the boota of trees likewise any means at culture that leaves tse ground moist in fall has an advantage over that leave the ground very dry in this regard clean cultivation might be expected to be ahead of cover crops the best all around method 0 culture for young orchards Is thor augh cultivation in early cummer followed by cover crop in the fall so ar as tests covering only a few years ran prove any method best A at ethaw is known to keep the coll moist during the cummer and it also prefects pr elects tender roots in winter but ita ase will surely increase winter injury 0 tender tops of trees by prolonging all growth besides a mulch induces shallow root development which may result disastrously in later years ind its use is out of the question in large orchards thorough cultivation protects trees drought as well as mulching and keeps the roots from forming near the surface of the ground when cul Is given in early summer all that Is necessary to furnish winter pro is to stop cultivating in mid luin mer grow a cover crop weeds better than nothing which will iry the ground in fall causing the new wood growth to ripen early in prep t tor winter and which will by adding the snow out by matting down to form a mulch protect tender roots luring winter good cultivation in sarly cummer can often be given young trees by growing come culta rated crop in the orchard FALL SPRAYING IS FAVORED when possible select warm day for operation as insects then crawl out for sunlight after all rotten apples pruned limbs and other refuse have been cleared up about the orchard the trees should be given a thorough spraying if possible one should choose a warm day tor the operation so most of the insect pests crawling out to life n the sunlight will be exposed to the of the spraying solution special attention should be given old knots and rough and rotten spots about the trees as in these places the fruit pests deposit their eggs tor next reasons crop and at the same time many of these pests themselves are harboring in cafe retreat till winter is over there are several reasons for this fall spraying it not only destroys the insect pests but their eggs also which have been laid after the spraying the trees will be left healthy and clean and free from the pests while they are developing their next seasons fruit crop another light spraying next spring will not come amiss but this fall spraying will insure the work being done not neg next spring when the rush sea son is on and the field turns the farm irs attention from the orchard horticultural NOTES 4 do not cut out large limbs paint over the larger wounds keep the t ee free of suckers torn wounds are generally fatal in transplanting cut back top and rot heavy pruning conduces to wood growth A heavy pruning is always followed by a heavy crowth of suckers never prune in frosty weather frostbitten wounds are slow to beal in the garden and orchard much of next springs work can be done this all plan 0 o protect the apple trees if against rabbit girdling this coming winter late fall of the orchard is putting the stuff where it will do a good deal if not the most good pault growers who have to employ ackere cannot be too careful in selecting their help do not tolerate careless indifferent p ackers thero are plenty who really enjoy this kind of work |