TREE CROWING ON THE COTEAUX. 475 



peratiire, is added to previously existiiii;^ liorizontal currents, and 

 by ten o'clock in the morning- the hot winds are fully developed. 

 Hundreds of miles of hot, dry earth contribute to maintain and 

 feed the currents, which gather strenjjfth as the sun mounts higher. 

 The hot winds sweep over the defenseless prairies; neither hill 

 nor forest rises in its path to break its power or dispute its sway, 

 and with no enemy save the tardy rain cloud the heated blasts 

 suck out the life sap of the g-rowing crops." 



Curtiss says also that the soil is heated to the hig^h temperature 

 necessary- to the development of hot winds only when the j^round 

 is dry. The sun's heat falling upon moist soil is largelj' used in 

 the work of evaporation. 



I don't believe that the small area that the farmers are able to 

 plant to trees on their farms will have any appreciable effect on 

 the climatic conditions of this country in the way of increasinpf 

 the rainfall, but believe it will be a great help in furnishing pro- 

 tection to man and beast from wind and storm, will stay the winds 

 and stop evaporation to a greater or lesser degree and will keep 

 the soil from drifting and hold the snow where it falls, and also 

 furnish a home for birds, which help to keep the insects in check. 



The necessity for planting trees and windbreaks in this country 

 can readily be seen by all, but can be appreciated only by those 

 who have been furnished protection by them. There is no place 

 in all our state where horticultural work needs to be so much en- 

 couraged as upon our farms of the prairie. 



The essential things necessary for plant growth are soil, sun, air 

 and moisture. The three first we have here in abundance, and the 

 last, water, is here in large enough quantities, as a rule, for 

 the growth of all ordinary plants, if we would only learn to store 

 it up for future use, which we believe can be accomplished to 

 a greater or lesser degree by the proper preparation of the soil and 

 by shallow, level and frequent cultivation. It has been said that 

 knowledge is the keynote to success, and to no occupation will 

 this saying apply better than to horticultural work. The grower 

 of trees and plants must understand the nature of the soil and 

 plants that he has to deal with, to have the best success. Espec- 

 ially is this true of our dry, wind}' prairies, where the rainfall is 

 light. 



Before starting to set out a forestry or a fruit garden, there are 

 three things that a farmer should study upon: 



First. He should trj' to find out which plants will stand the 

 drought, heat and winds the best. 



Second. He should know how best to prepare his land an<l to 

 cultivate it so as to make it retain longest the moisture that falls 

 upon it. 



Third. He should know where and when to procure his trees 

 and plants and how to take care of them after he gets them. 



These are very important cjuestions, which I will not attempt to 

 answer in full but will say that we are trying to solve somo of 

 these questions at our e.xperiment stations. I would be glad to 

 hear them discussed somewhat by your society. 



