Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1898-03-12
n.hnis. CARVING Trees.

In recent issue OF your paper there
appears request for some one TO tell
what TO do with apple trees that have
been gnawed by mice. Since this guess
ton Ii OF no little Importance. owing
10 the fearful destruction made 50
often by mice gnawing the bark on
from young trees. ! have thought u
well to offer some suggestions OF my
own which may or may not meet the
views OF all. In the first place II mas
been through improper care or neg
lect that they have been thus injured.
Had u. ID. kept the surface clean about
bis trees for three feet OF all seeds or
trash. or even tramped the snow
down about them a. soon as the
ground was covered. the mice would
have given them a wide berth. but
this Is not the question We are asked 20
answer. II Is not the "onnee OF preyeh-
tive that appears 10 be asked for, but
| the pound OF cure. II the trees nave
not been gnawed entirely around or
even slightly, and discovered soon be-
fore the wood dries hard, they can often
be saved by making mud OF clay. put
ting II around and over the whole.
wound. holding II there with some OLD
cloth or stove pipe. but when too far
gone. would advise serious change
In early spring. AS soon as the earth
thaws out In April. cut the trees either
close to the ground or little below tho
injury and set In some choice variety
OF seions thar you have recently learn-
{ al IA ~. hS W{hGR III.
or at least would be now preferred W
the nurseryman who started thsss
three or four years ago. II the WORK
be properly done. he will lose but ut
tie in time or value, bur frequently VIII
| ind this a blessing In disguise. II MS
gnawed trees were scrubby. crooked of
poorly trained. as very many ars. ne
can make a great improvement. ana ~
/ the end lose very little and often so
cure much more desirable variety
than the tree dealer put on on him IN
the start. II your variety II not strict
/ ly hardy. be sure 20 put IN scion 81
we'll known hardness. This will help
( even a tender root. This Ii not the be#t
/ plan 10 make sure OF long lived tree.
/ but II Is the best cheap way 20 repair
the evil. II the trees were as hardy a.
Duchess or HibernaI then would NOT
cut tbs stema any lower than just b.
low the Injury. providing there u
chance to retain the hardy stem OF any
part. But, as rule. mice gnaw trees
I close TO the ground. and II ID very sci-
I dom one can save even TWO lnehra OF
the trunk, a. mice never climb trees 10
gnaw the bark except when shut 10
pile OF trash that il often piled about
I the stem In the fall Or winter, Then.
"a rule. he had better mud up Or
walt I'LL early spring and Eraft close
down, say three inches. below the sur
face. 30 when the scion u ses Il can bs
banked around with fresh earth az hish
M the third bud. II this root be good
he will soon grow a due new stem
that will often be much superior 70 ths
one the tree dealer sold him. Hut II
the trees were all he now desires. cut
OF the stems close 10 this ground and
trust 10 their spruutlnx from the stem,
This will save him from being hum.
bugged by some schemlng CRATER. Or
let this furnish him hns opportunity
to practice grating. and II the scions
fail he will still have a chance on the
coming sprouts. would trust to the
sprouts II the original tree wes what
now wanted and could NOT do the
grating myself. Hut grating aids 40.
other chance to save the tree. az such
stubs are more liable to fail TO grow
than are scious well set. Would advise
u. D. to 20 over hls trees soon and OK.
anime carefully and auch AZ appear
past recovery saw of close 10 the
ground and cover the ssuba TIL wanted
TO graft or TO sprout In spring. Thou.
sands could have been saved Ia 1885
had We sawed our old tree on
before warm weather close 10 tho
ground. The greater share Of trees
thus treated would have sent up ytKnr.
Gus shoots and often been a great i'm.
proyement on the original stem. n n.
ID. concludes to trust TO sprouts let
him reserve a. many as three OF the
most vigorous so as to better balance
the root and top. invariably retain
three shoots. rs each will aid TO protect
the other BY shading the ground and
the trunks OF each other.
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