Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1914-04-08

growth indicates which portions had
best be removed. otherwise they may
be pruned now SO as TO get the brush
out of the way before spraying time.
Pruning apple trees while frozen does
not have any harmful effects, provided
the wounds are close TO the body Of
the tree and dressed with paint.
If you are afraid of oyster shell or
San Jose scale, plan on using a dor
mant spray this month or some time
before growth starts This is because
lime-sulphur solution of strength
sufficient to control scale insects Gone
OF lime-sulphur to seven of water) will
burn any opening buds or foliage that
il touches. Cover every portion of the
surface of every twig. After spraying
with this caustic solution you will find
the old dead bark loosening up; IL will
be in splendid shape for removal by
scraping with some such implement
as a short handled hoe. This is adj
visable, because il removes surfaces
and hooks where the insects and fungi
find lodging.
TO prevent peach leaf curl, give the
trees a dormant spray this month,
using two pounds of copper sulphate
TO fifty gallons of water. 1t is very es-
sential that this spray be applied be-
fore the buds swell. Bordeaux or the
lime sulphur, one to seven, may be
used in place of the copper sulphate
Trees that have suffered mouse in
jury over winter may be saved by
bridge grating this month. Obtain
long. VIGOROUS growth of last years
wood, whittle the ends to a wedge
shape, and insert the CRAFTS to act as
bridges from the lower TO the upper
edge of the girdled portion. The in
ner bark of the CRAFTS should belmade
To form as close, contact as possible
with the inner bark of the injured
tree, also the ragged condition of the
wound as left by the mice should be
dressed with "A sharp knife Finally
the entire patch should be dressed
with grating wax to prevent drying
out.
4 good formula for grating wax is:
Resin, pounds; beeswaX, ? pounds;
beef tallow, pound. Finely divide
the materials and melt them together
over a slow fire, stirring constantly
for about ten minutes. Now pour the
melted wax into "a pail of cold water;
grease the hands with tallow, and pull
the wax until it has smooth grain
and the color of MANILA paper. The
lumpiness is caused by an excess of
resin in some cases The resin inn
parts antiseptic value to the wax
while the beeswaX and tallow give ii
Elasticity without lowering the melt
ing point so much that there is any
danger of WAX running in hot weather
Paraffin may be substituted for bees
wax. For use in making apple CRAFTS.
one can advantageously use ball of
No IS knitting cotton which has been
soaked in the boiling wax. Wrap this
around the union of scion and stock;
il will need no tying.
The scab fungus winters over on the
fallen leaves and fruit, as well as on
the trees; the inference is that we
should pillow or burn any refuse litter
that has accumulated on the ground.
The former would seem preferable
since fires remove the desired humus
from the soil
There may be mummied specimens
Of peach, cherry or plum hanging on
the trees or under them. All the stone
fruits are very susceptible to dry rot,
the disease usually appearing at its
work just at picking time. The source
of infection is from spores carried over
the winter on these mummied fruits
chiefly. The obvious conclusion is
that these mummies should be knock
ed off and raked up and burned, or
else plowed under deeply.