On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 21:49:48 -0800, Zootal wrote:
I have about 15 fruit trees, semi-dwarf, about 2 years old. One of the
cherries and one of the apricots have bark damage, as pictured in these
pics. The rest of the trees are fine. I'm pretty sure it's not mechanical

Looks sunscaldish to me: see, for instance, these photos of alder:
http://www.cof.orst.edu/coops/hsc/im...mage/index.htm

Typical cure is to put tree wrap on in late fall and have it off by early the
next growing season:
http://extension.missouri.edu/EXTENS...le.asp?id=1806
Big growers often use white paint instead of tree wrap.

Kay