The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-12-15

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every one will grow. Then the fol
lowing August they can be budded.
One advantage in using the Mariana
cuttings is they will not sprout. This
freedom from sprouting is an impor-
tant factor in raising nursery trees.
When we set plum or prune orchard
we do not want to be always cutting
down sprouts. The Myrobolan plum
is used for the same reason. We could
plant plum seeds and prune seeds and
raise seedlings from them to be used
as stocks and the trees would do well,
but this sprouting would be serious
objection. The Mariana makes beau
tiful tree but it's fruit is of but little
value. 1t is too tringent-"puckery
may be better way to express it. The
trees will bear we'll and the. fruit
looks we'll and some use the plums for
making jelly. Generally on our ranch
the Mariana plums fall off and rot, I'M
less some of the neighbors who have
no plums carry them away. The trees
make an admirable wind break and
fine shade for poultry to gather under.
We have row of them along the ir-
rigation ditch near our cow lot and
they are the admiration of many peo-
pie. In some cases people have STOP
ped when passing to inquire about
those beautiful trees"
John Bonhaar, of Oak Harbor,
Wash, wants to know what he can do
10 destroy the bark bOrers that infest
his apple trees. There are two kinds
of apple tree borers-the f1at-headed
and the round-headed borer. One
works mostly in the roots or just
above the ground and the other any
where on the body of the tree where
it is injured from sun scald or from
other causes. The best thing to do in
fighting borers of either kind is to
remember the old saying: can ounce
of prevention is worth a pound OF
cure" After the borerS are once in
the trees there is no way to destroy
them but to dig them out with sharp
knife or to kill them with a probe
made from a fine wire. There is moth
ing in the form of dope" that will
kill them If any one comes around
offering to sell you some kind OF dope
that will kill the borers in the trees,
show him the front gate and unchain
the bulldog. These dope sellers are,
almost without exception, frauds.
Many ignorant people are taken in by
their slick stories. About three times
every summer go over your orchard
with a sharp knife and small wire
and kill the borers that have already
entered the trees.
A good deal can be done in the way
of prevention Remember that these
borers will eventually come out as
butterflies or moths. These moths lay
their eggs just at the top OF the
ground or on the body of the tree
where it has been damaged by sun
scald. Wrap the bodies of your trees
from the ground up to where the
forks begin with paper so as to leave
no part exposed. The fly will not lay
it's eggs on that paper. This paper
can be taken off in the fall and put
on the next May or it can be left on
till it rots. Once or twice year the
strings must be loosened or they Will
cut into the body of the tree. me
man who protects his trees from the
egg-laying will have but little trouble
with borers of either kind Borers
are much worse in some sections tnan
in others. They do no harm after
trees get to be four to six inches IN
diameter unless these sun scalds are
left exposed. Painting these sun
scald spots with thick paint or cover
ing them with cement will ward OH
the attacks of the moths. The root
variety will do no harm after your
trees attain the size here named. Bor-
ers are like we are-they like some
thing young and tender.
4
am much annoyed by letters COM
ing to me from all parts of the United
States from persons who have read