Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-08-06
AMONG THE FARMERS.
"sPEED THE PLow."

IL solicited. Address all communications u
tended for this department to HENRY
| HAhhoND. Agricultural Editor Oxford Den
ocrat, Paris. Ne.
Orchard Losses In New England
NO PRESENT DANGER OF A GLUT Oh
APPLES IN LoCALM ARKETs.
During the last ten years New England
has been the center of interest In a grea
movement toward modern orcharding
This movement has had an influence
upon all classes, both In city and coun
try. As result tens OF thousands o.
trees have been planted, many of then
by people with much scientific informa
tion and no practical experience, ant
many Others by people with some practi
Ical experience, but little or no scientific
kno wledge. From many years observa
tion of existing conditions 1t has lon(
seemed to me that less than one fourth
of the trees planted will ever reach ma
turity. This impression was muct
strengthened during two recent trips II
Central and Northern New England
when it became evident great loss hal
resulted in young orchards since las
summer. In many cases large proper
ton of the trees appear to be killed Of
seriously injured, and there Is reason
to believe that similar conditions exis
generally in the Northern and Eastern
states.
These losses are due to several causes
of which damage by field or meadow
mice is the most important. Northern
New England ia experiencing an cpl
demic of these little pests more seriou!
than has been known for many years
Doubtless the destruction of hawks ant
owls and the persistent hunting of foxes
skunks and other carnivorous mammall
has released the natural checks upon tht
increase of these vermin, and the farm
ers are paying the penalty In the injury
done to grass lands and trees OF all sorts
Newly set orchards, which we're not pro
tected by wire screens, wood veneer'
or some poisonous wash we're mos
discouraging sight when the disappear
ing snow revealed the girdled trunks
often denuded of bark clear to the
branches. The damage, of course, wal
greatest where the trees had been set II
grass lands. Even the wire or veneer
was not q complete protection in case
the tree was near rock projecting above
the soil surface, for the mice would &c
along in the snow horizontally from the
top of the rock. and thus strike the tree
above the protection. In such cases the
lower branches and the upper part OF
the trunk were pretty sure to be girdled
DESTRUCTION BY BoRERs.
The starting of spring growth is reveal.
ing the fact that many thousands oil
trees are being killed by borers. Nearly
every tree that had cover crops or grasses
growing close to the trunk last summer
| is found to be attacked. The shade and
moisture at the base Of the trunk II
such cases seems almost certain to at
tract the egg laying beetles, with the re-
suit that too often the tree is doomed.
AS a rule, the gypsy and the brown
tail moth and other leaf eating caterpil
lars did little damage last year to youni
orchards, because such trees were looked
after, but they have been playing havoc
with old apple trees in neglected or
chards and along the highways. Thou
sands of trees are being killed by the
bro wn tails almost throughout Massachu
selts and New Hampshire. In a way
however, the owners of good orchard!
may view this destruction without alarm
for these neglected trees are the chic
breeding places of borers and other
pests.
In many regions much damage bJ
deer has been done since last summer
In isolated localities young orchards
lave suffered severely from their brows
ing upon the twigs, and occasionally
tree has been practically destroyed b!
having its bark scraped off by the horni
Of q buck.
LOW HEADED TREES INJURED.
The prevailing advice for low headed
trees has been responsible for much dam
age through the tearing of OF TIT
branches by the snow crust. In North
ern regions where there are deep SHOWS
IL is not safe to have the branches al
near the ground as they may be fsrth 81
south.
The extraordinary drouth of the sea
son of 1911 also affected many newly Sc
trees. Those weak in vitality wheI
planted, or set in q dry exposure withou
adequate mulch, made little growth las
wear, and are failing to start this spring
So a careful consideration OF these
most recent developements in New Eng
land orchardiug gives pretty definite as
surance that the Eastern markets arr
not likely soon to be gluted with hom'
grown apples of quality. The old or
chards are dying, and most OF the younl
trees planted are certain to succumo Il
adverse conditions. 1t is more and NOR
evident that success in bringing new or
chards into profitable bearing on ou
New England hillsides requires eterna
vigilance, vigorous determination, and
fullness of knowledge and skill that ar
possessed by comparatively few OF tn
men who are setting out fruit trees
The experience of the last year give
point to few lessons of much practica
Importance, namely:
PRACTICAL LESSONS.
The wantOn destruction of birds o
prev through ignorance and stat
bounties is certain to bring about out
breaks of meadow mice that caus
vastly greater losses than could resul
from the depredations OF hawks ant
owls.
Apple, pear, plum and cherry trees ~
to at least five inches in diameter requir
winter protection from mice by wir
screening, wood veneer, or sticky or pol
son wash to a height Of fifteen inche
from the grouud, or even higher II tn
tree Is beside rock.
If injury by borers is to be avoided tn
base of the young apple tree must belief
open to sunshine throughout the summer
This means the removal of all growtl
next to the trunk, of cover crops, gras
or weeds, as we'll as the removal Ii
spring of such winter protectors fror
mice as wire netting or wood veneer, un
less the latter are so tight that the beet
les cannot crawl down to lay eggs.
In regions where deep SHOWS preva
tree branches must be started hig
enough from the ground to enable
good mouse protector to be put on,
we'll as to avoid injury by the tearing o.
of branches by the snow crust.
The game laws need modifying to 81
able man better to protect his orchard
from deer.-Clearence M. Weed, Lowell
Mass, In Tribune Farmer.
Sheiterlng Pigs ln the Woods.
81 provide shade and shelter for m
pigs by turning them into wood pa
iura or the orchards. or by cOnstructin