WINDBREAKS FOR ORCHARDS, 419 



WINDBREAKS FOR ORCHARDS. 



S. D. RICHARDSON, WINNEBAGO CITY. 



On the windy prairies of southwest Minnesota, a windbreak on 

 the south and west of an orchard seems to be a necessity if one 

 would have many apples left on his trees in the fall. Mr. Wm, Som- 

 erville is satisfied that a windbreak of evergreens all around is a 

 good thing, but the question with us is not what we would have, but 

 what we can have. In certain localities the Russian mulberry is a 

 success. I do not know anj^thing that will drift under with the snow 

 and not break down better than they will. Cottonwood, soft maple, 

 box elder, ash and elm make good windbreaks. 



In planting, the inside row of trees should not be less than two 

 rods from the outside row of apple trees. I would set the wind- 

 break in three rows, mulberries in rows eight feet apart and eight 

 feet apart in the row, and other trees sixteen feet apart each way. 

 Set the middle row so that the trees will come opposite the centre 

 of the spaces in the outside rows. Do not set trees any closer than 

 this if you want a good windbreak and do not prune, but let the 

 trees bush as much as possible. While in theory evergreens make 

 the ideal windbreak, the past few dry years have been such as to 

 discourage the planting of any large quantity of evergreens on the 

 prairies of southwest Minnesota. We do not need windbreaks for 

 protection from the cold, but from the strong winds of spring and 

 summer. 



Mr. C. L. Smith: In the thirty years I have been interested 

 in tree planting in Minnesota I have never seen a success made 

 where trees were planted so far apart. I would not put them 

 more than four feet apart in the rows. 



Mr. Richardson: If Mr. Smith will come down into our 

 section of the country, I will show him plenty of groves in the 

 poorest condition because they were set close together. The 

 handsomest grove of soft maple I ever saw were set sixteen 

 feet apart each way. They make a handsome, splendid grove. 

 I can show him any quantity of soft maple groves in excellent 

 condition because they were not planted too thick. 



Mr. Smith: There would be an advantage in thinning out 

 after the first three, four or five years, when they needed thin- 

 ning, but I still reiterate the statement I made, that I have not 

 found one successful plantation where the trees were planted 

 so far apart. 



Prof. S. B. Green: In planting a windbreak four rods wide, 

 or, we will suppose, two acres in extent, how far apart, sup- 

 posing you were planting the box elder, elm and others, how 

 far apart would you recommend setting those trees in order to 

 get the best results? 



