336 _MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
SHELTER BELTS IN THE RED RIVER VALLEY. 
D. R. MCGINNIS, ST. PAUL. 
The yearly rainfall of the Red River is amply sufficient to cause 
it to be adensely timbered country, if the surface was more broken 
and the soil less fertile. As itis, ifthe rainfall had been as much as 
five inches per annum more than itis, it would have been a vast 
cedar and tamarac forest instead of an open prairie, as at present, 
Even the slight protection afforded by the streams is enough to 
make vigorous elm, oakand ash timber belts along the streams, 
which are a welcome break to the monotony of the prairies. 
The principal objection to a residence in the valley is not the cold, - 
for it is healthful, but the strong winds which sweep during winter 
across the level, unprotected plain. 
Fortunately, if properly done, shelter belts can easily be raised 
in the valley. There are, however, some difficulties to surmount, 
The ground being low, young trees are apt to be severely injured 
by too much water from melting snow and by late spring frosts in 
May. September and October are sometimes very dry months, and 
young trees suffer from drouth and more still from the danger of 
being destroyed by prairie fires if not carefully protected. 
The best varieties to plant are the elm, cottonwood, ash, aspen and 
box elder, and possibly tamarac. All are natural to the country. 
Birch also will succeed well. It grows abundantly just east of the 
valley. It should be planted in the center of groves. 
We see many stunted shelter belts there, but this is caused by 
neglect. Success depends on proper preparation of the soil and 
careful cultivation while thetreesare small. Without this is given, 
failure will result, prairie grass will close around the struggling 
trees, strangling their roots and making fuel for prairie fires toruin 
in minutes the growth of years. The ground should be under 
thorough cultivation, the grass roots should have been entirely 
rotted out. 
The trees should be thickly planted in order to furnish mutual 
support, to keep the drying sun rays and wind from stealing the 
moisture from the earth and to make the trees grow tall and straight 
instead of amere bushy scrub. That is nature’s method; man pur- 
sues another way,as a rule, and fails. The trees should be close 
enough to completely shade the ground after the second or third 
yéar. Cultivate as long as you can get a plough between the 
rows. Do not permit grass or weeds to choke them. During snowy 
winters, the snow drifts off the bare fields to the shelter belts and 
does great damage from breaking them down. An advance belt of 
brush and cottonwoods should be planted, especially on the north, 
to stop the snow before it forms high drifts in the main belt. Brush 
is the natural protection and advance guard of the large forest 
trees. In conclusion, keep sun and drying wind from the roots by 
thick planting, frequently cultivate, let no grassand weeds grow 
while they are young (when they are old enough to thoroughly 
shade the ground they will keep them out themselves), plant 
advance shelter belts of cottonwoods, rose bushes and hazel brush 
to prevent breaking down from snowdrifts,and you will be sur- 
prised at the results; but neglect any one and reap failure. 
