58 



animals to consume their share of the products, and to aid in maintaining, or even in 

 enhancing, the natural fertility of the soil. 



One of the most striking features of the country traversed, next to the apparent 

 fertility of the land, was the broad extent of the tillage, where large fields made parts of 

 great farms, and these were bounded on all sides by other farms of apparently equal dimen- 

 sions lying contiguous to them on every side, or with small intervening wood-lots that could 

 rarely be called forest lands, for their limited extent, and their rifled condition, would 

 hardly entitle these bits of woodland to be called forests — they are but shadows of their 

 former selves. 



Looking out from the car-windows, on either hand one might behold vistas opened 

 over these fields that extended in many cases for miles without the interruption of a 

 grove or a tree, or even a stump or a bush ! 



Here, then, while finding so much to admire in the results of the industry of the settlers, 

 who, in half a century or less, had efi"ected so great a change upon the earth's surface — here 

 a theme was suggested to the traveller for him to present to-day to his friends of Ontario. 

 This is what he now desires to impress and to emphasize — The necessity for you to 

 protect yourselves, your cattle, and your crops from the storms of winter. He begs you 

 to begin at once your efforts to modify and to meliorate your climate by restoring barriers 

 against the winds which you have invited by too widely opening to them doors of access 

 to your homes. He also begs you, at the same time, while beautifying your country, to 

 provide against the future necessities of the people by producing in these plantations 

 future supplies of fuel and lumber. Yes ! even here, and on these fertile lands, this may 

 be done, and by the wisest economy, by planting trees in protective groves, but especially 

 in wind-breaks and shelter-belts on all your farms. 



While occupying even a considerable portion of arable land, that would thus be 

 withdrawn from the dominion of the plow, these plantations will, nevertheless, inure to 

 the advantage of the farmer and of the country by enhancing the fertility and produc- 

 tiveness of the remainder of the land thus sheltered, as has been demonstrated on the 

 open prairies of Iowa wherever these shelters have been applied. 



The whole of the route traversed by the Grand Trunk Railway westward from King- 

 ston, is very happily situated in respect to lacustrine influence which must greatly modify 

 the climate of the region. The broad surfaces of those great inland seas, Ontario, Erie, 

 and Huron, cannot fail to exert the well known effects of large bodies of water upon the 

 atmosphere. It is, however, the region west of Toronto that is most happily situated in 

 this respect, and here, too, the prevailing character of the soil seems to adapt the region 

 to high farming. Here the lacustrine surroundings are most fully developed ; and here, 

 while enjoying the advantages derived from this source, the inhabitants must beware how 

 they expose the country to the disadvantages that may arise from a too open exposure 

 to the water. The winds must not be allowed too free an access to the land. 



To obviate the effects of the winds it is advised to plant groves about the farm- 

 steadings to the windward sides of barns and sheds as well as of the dwellings. These 

 should by all means be supplemented by evergreen shelter-hedges and screens about the 

 residence and out-houses. The fields and pastures should be protected by wind-breaks on 

 every farm. 



The wind-break demands a liberal space and the planting of numerous trees to make 

 it effective. In a champaign country these shelters should not be more than forty rods 

 apart, nor should they occupy less than four rods in width, though even a single or a 

 double row of trees between two fields will furnish a great deal of shelter, especially if 

 they be evergreen species. 



The soil should be well prepared by thorough ploughing and harrowing, so as to pro- 

 duce a good tilth. To plant, parallel furrows should be drawn four feet apart, in which 

 to set the little trees. This close planting is particularly recommended where the use of 

 deciduous trees has been determined upon, but more space may be allowed for the ever- 

 greens, and where these are planted in single or double rows, with the trees of one row 

 set opposite to the interspaces of the other, six or eight feet may be allowed. If the 

 evergreens have been planted three or four feet apart at the first, alternate trees can be 

 removed and set elsewhere when their limbs meet on either side. They will be saleable 



