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farms back to forest growths. No one shall lose anything by cruel edict, but each for 

 himself, and all collectively, are promised the full fruition of the benefits that will accrue 

 to those who accept the advice and adopt the plan, which consists in a system of tree belts 

 across the whole townshijj, and across or betv^een the several farms. 



These shelter-belts and wind-breaks, though occupying a portion of the land, will add 

 materially to the productiveness of the soil that is retained in cultivation, and they will 

 in no small degree modify the local climate, which an extreme amount of clearing has 

 already affected by the exposure of such broad contiguous surfaces to the influence of ih.Pr 

 scorching sunshine, and to the drying and blasting winds. 



On the broad and open expanse of surface of the treeless plains of Iowa, where in 

 the northwestern half of the State there is but one acre of woodland to a mile square of 

 640 acres, these shelter belts have been fairly tried by those who were bold enough to 

 settle in such exposure. Among them Mr. C. E. Whiting has been one of the first and the 

 most extensive planter of trees upon this plan, and for the purpose of modifying the local 

 climate, and in this he has been successful. Mr. Whiting declares that he can well afford 

 to plant the trees and to give up the land they occupy, for, independently of the fuel 

 they already yield him, and the wood for many economical purposes upon his farm, the 

 remaining four-fifths of the land still occupied by his crops will yield him better returns- 

 than the whole area would have done if it were all cultivated to the extreme outer boun- 

 daries, but exposed to the elements, and not thus protected by these artificial shelter -belts. 



This kind of tree planting serves the double purpose of replacing the forests which 

 have been destroyed and of modifying the climate. First — it produces wood for fuel and 

 lumber. Second — it also modifies the climate. 



These shelter-belts are particularly adapted to level tracts of fertile lands devoted to- 

 agriculture, and the broader the area of such lands the greater becomes the necessity for 

 their protection in this way, just as they are needed in the prairie regions. 



The planting of these shelters does not supercede the necessity of tree planting also' 

 on the waste places, ravines, and cornerSj where they exist ; by all means, let that good 

 work also be done, to supplement the belts in our efforts to replace a proper proportion 

 of the forests we have destroyed. 



Here, as elsewhere, in all our artificial forestation, planting directed by human braina 

 is better, and the results will be more satisfactory, than trusting to natural reproduction, 

 for it enables us to do the work more thoroughly, more evenly, and more judiciously, since 

 we can make a selection of the species best adapted to our soils, and best fitted to our 

 necessities, whether for their sheltering effects or for their ultimate wood products. 



If, as of necessity on the prairies, you desire to produce an immediate effect in the 

 shelter, you can be gratified by planting the trees of most rapid growth, even though they 

 be of inferior quality. The outer rows of the wind-break may be set with these 

 kinds, and next to them may be placed those of slower growth, whether deciduous or 

 evergreen. Or you may have the effect you desire at first, and better trees afterward, by 

 planting intermediately such as will be coming on move slowly to take the place of the 

 fast growers when they are removed. This will be true of oaks and hickories, or, walnuts^ 

 planted among poplars and other rapidly growing kinds. 



The evergreens should not be mixed with deciduous trees either in the belts or in the 

 groves, but they should always be massed by themselves and planted in separate rows, if 

 we desire them to succeeJ. In some cases it may be desired to use the evergreens exclu- 

 sively ; and for mere shelter, particulaly in winter, they are exceedingly effective, and a 

 double or quadruple belt will yield more shelter if set with Norway spruce, or some of 

 the pines, than ten rows of almost any of the deciduous class. 



The preparation of the land for the shelter-belt should be as thorough as for a crop 

 of grain, and done, of course, with the plow and harrow. Furrows or marks are made at 

 intervals of four feet to receive the plants, which may be set closely as in other plantations^ 

 especially as we desire to break the force of the winds as soon as possible. 



A single row of trees, especially if they be of evergreen species, will yield a comfort- 

 able shelter, but to be effective, and in exposed situations, several rows should be planted 

 occupying a strip of from four to eight rods in width. 



The cultivation should be thorough to encourage the rapid and healthy growth of the 



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