208 Orchards. 



Orchards. 



Thf. A<lp)intafi<-s itnil JJi.satltuintiif/rs of Shelter Jielts. 



WC. FLAGGr, of the Fruirie Farmer, read an essay upon the above subject, at 

 • a late meeting of the Champaiga Horticultural Society. We copy his sum- 

 mary of the advantages and disadvantages of shelter : — 



The advantages of shelter belts are, 



1st. That they mitigate the extremes of heat and cold, both of which are brought 

 mainly "by western winds. 



2d. That they check the rapid evaporation of moisture, and probably increase the 

 local rainfall. 



3d. That they protect the trees from the mechanical effects of winds that would 

 otherwise bend them over and shake off the fruit. 



The sum of these advantages is a large amount. It is probable that the deteriora- 

 tion of trees and fruits that many claim to take place as the country grows older, is 

 the result not of a decrease of rainfall or mean temperature, but of the extremes of 

 heat and aridity, of cold and drought that come from a more naked surface, and any- 

 thing that will in any degree restore the equilibrium must be of value. 



On the other hand, the disadvantages of shelter belts are, 



1st. They rob the nearer orchard trees of their sustenance and prevent their 

 proper development. 



2d. They prevent, to a certain extent, proper ventilation of the orchard, resulting 

 in an increase of fungoid disease and a healthy development of fruit. Even move- 

 ment on the stem, our grape-growers declare, is necessary for the production of the 

 finest grapes. ^lany of our Southern Illinois grape-growers also think it essential to 

 provide for proper ventilation in their vineyards by widening the spaces between the 

 north and south rows and having no protection on the north to prevent the free pas- 

 sage of the south winds. The same is no djubt true to a certain extent of the 

 orchard fruits. 



The first of these disadvantages can easily be guarded against by leaving wide 

 spaces between orchard belts and the nearer trees. The second is more difticult. It 

 amounts to this : — That checking the free passage of air does at once good and 

 harm, and we must, to the best of our ability, endeavor to get the good without the 

 mischief. To do this we would suggest the following points : 



1st. Plant shelter belts in this State on the west sides of your orchards only. 

 They will thus tend to break the force of the west and the northwest winter winds. 

 If the orchard or field is large it may be well, as Mr. Edwards, of Lamoille, 

 suggests, to plant one or more north and south belts through the orchard, as has been 

 done in the Industrial University experimental orchards. 



2d. If the orchard is much exposed on the north it may answer to protect it with 

 clumps of trees that will not entirely check circulation of air. 



3d. If there be hollows running to the northward these should be each planted 

 with a clump to prevent the ascent of the cold air that would at times be driven up 

 them like the ocean waters into a bay. 



4th. Leave the south and east sides open — the latter to be pi'otected by your next 

 neighbor's plantation, if at all, and the former because you wish to admit all south 

 winds and perhaps some portion of those from the southwest. 



