eally deserve a serious
thought. It is impossible for the tree to assimilate these substances,
especially sulphur, and carry them to the foliage or fruit for
preventive or any other purpose. Boring and plugging--like any other
threatened death to the tree--may cause temporary fruitfulness, as also
will girdling.

While several washes are claimed to prevent or destroy borers, the large
majority of extensive orchardists believe the knife and a hooked wire in
the hands of a thoroughgoing employee the best and surest way of knowing
that you destroy the larva of this persistent and destructive insect.

Smearing trees with any undiluted grease, especially axle grease made
from petroleum refuse, is hazardous, and the man who advises it is an
enemy to your orchard. If you have applied it, the sooner you wash it
off the longer will your orchard thrive.

Pruning has its advocates, but the Eastern style of a long stem has
scarcely a follower in our state; a great majority simply cut out
"watersprouts" and limbs that cross or rub, or are wind-broken.

Thinning on the trees has many advocates, but few followers. All admit
it would often improve the size and quality, yet most growers believe
the difference would not be sufficient to pay for the labor, and it
would require skilled labor to do it without injury.

A large number, perhaps a majority, believe it pays to apply
fertilizers, more especially barn-yard litter, to the orchard; but cases
are known where it has done much harm. All agree that it should be kept
away from the body of the tree.

As to pasturing the orchard, some think it pays; others that it does no
harm; others still--and they are many--condemn it. The larger proportion
of those who pasture confine the stock to calves, colts, and pigs. Some
would allow only poultry in the orchard, and the poultry must not roost
in the trees. This latter point is an excellent one.

We find we have plenty of insects; this is natural. Insects settle in a
country that provides proper food for them and their larva. As apple
trees are planted in new localities the insects that delight in
apple-tree wood, apple-tree roots, apple-tree foliage and apple-tree
fruits immigrate, grow, and multiply.

Spraying or using some preventive or destroyer has become necessary, and
the man who believes it unnecessary and intends to trust to nature or
providence or God will find no truer saying than "God helps those who
help themselves." Sit down