t through them
with wide, strong washers at the ends is very effective in
strengthening the tree. Where limbs must be braced from one side of
the tree across to the other wires are the best to use. They may be
fastened to bolts through the limbs with wide washers on the outside
hooks on the inside, or by passing the wire around the branches. In
the latter case some wide, fairly rigid material such as tin, pieces
of wood, or heavy leather should be used to protect the tree from the
wire which would otherwise cut into the bark and perhaps girdle the
limb.

COST.--For the benefit of those who would like to get some idea of the
probable cost of renovating old apple orchards, the following estimate
made by the writer in a recent government publication on this subject
is given. This estimate has been carefully made up from actual records
kept on several New York farms. Because these costs are very variable
according to the condition of the orchard, both maximum and minimum
amounts are given per acre for the first year only.

Minimum Maximum
cost cost

Plowing $2.00 $3.00
Manure, 10 to 20 loads at $1, or their
equivalent in commercial fertilizer 10.00 20.00
Hauling manure 5.00 10.00
Pruning and hauling brush 5.00 10.00
Disking or harrowing twice 1.00 1.50
Disking or harrowing 3d or 4th time .50 1.00
Cultivating two to four times .50 1.00
Spraying once with L.S. dilution 1 to
9--material 2.00 4.00
Spraying once, L.S., labor 1.00 1.50
Spraying second time with L.S. dilution
1 to 40, labor and material 1.50 2.50
Spraying third time with same 1.50 2.50
------ ------
Total cost $30.00 $57.00

CHAPTER XII

THE COST OF GROWING APPLES

Two factors have always operated to deter many persons from taking up
fruit growing as a business or even as a side issue on the farm, and
they will probably continue to be an obstacle for more time to come.
These are the comparatively large investment required and the
ne