Willoivs for Prairie Windbreaks 



Norman M. Ross, Indian Head, Saskatchewan 



FOR a quick growing shelter belt or 

 windbreak suitable for the prairie 

 farm or garden, there is practically 

 nothing- belter than the hardy varieties of 



the ends of the growing side shoots may 

 be trimmed oft once or twice during the 

 summer. 



Under ordinary conditions a willow 



Wiodbrtwk of Goldeo Willow Planted at Two-Ycar Roott in 1905 



Ptiotograph taken in August, 1908 



The best kinds are the 



tree willows. 1 lie best kinds are 

 Russian golden, the acute leafed willow 

 jnd the laurel leaf willow. Though the 

 jolden willow cannot be called tender, 

 "parts of the new shoots are occasionally 

 frozen back. The acute leaf variety seems 

 to be the hardiest and is recommended 

 for southwestern Alberta in preference to 

 the others. 



A belt of willows can be started very 

 cheaply. This variety roots very r<;adiiy 

 from cuttings, so that it is usual *o set 

 the cuttings immediately in their perma- 

 nent positions. P"or a belt of several 

 rows the cuttings should be set from 

 three to four feet apart each way. If 

 properly cultivated they will grow very 

 rapidly and quickly cover rhe ground, 

 .so that no further work should be need- 

 ed after the second or third season. 



For a single row the cuttings should 

 be placed from eighteen inches to two feet 

 apart. Shoots from two to three feet 

 should be made the first season. It 

 would be advisable in the following 

 spring to cut these shoots back almost to 

 the ground in order to induce the plants 

 to branch out thickly from the roots and 

 thus make a better shelter. In the third 

 season the new belt should provide good 

 protection for the vegetable garden. Un- 

 der prairie conditions, when only a single 

 row is set out, cultivation will, of course, 

 be necessary every year to obtain the best 

 results. In order to keep the belt with- 

 in bounds and also to help thicken it up, 



hedge should be from ten to fifteen feet 

 high when five or six years old. In moist- 

 er soils the growth will be more rapid 

 than on high, dry land. Although it is 

 generally suposed that willows must have 

 a great deal of moisture, we find that the 

 Russian varieties commonly used in the 

 west withstand a considerable amount of 

 drouth and are quite suitable for ordinary 

 upland soils when given proper cultiva- 

 tion. 



The great advantage of the willows in 

 a comparatively treeless country, where 

 many new settlers can ill afford to spend 

 much money in nursery stock, is that 

 they are so easily propagated. Any 

 farmer having a few willows once estab- 

 lished on his place can take cuttings from 

 them every spring and extend his plant- 

 ing operations indefinitely without incur- 

 ring further expense for stock. 



Some Desirable Shrubs 



J. McPhcrton Ros>, Toronto 



The shrubs mentioned in the March is- 

 sue of The Canadian Horticulturist, 

 page 62, are attractive and desirable 

 enough for limited home grounds but for 

 large parks a more extended list is neces- 

 sary. I shall mention six small shrubs 

 that do not grow over two feet or so and 

 are, from their habits and flowers, wor- 

 thy of a place in every ground. The 

 Daphne Mezereuni blooms the first thing 

 in spring. It has small pink flowers clus- 



m 



tered tightly on the branches and quite 

 fragrant. It grows quite freely in the 

 Niagara district naturally but can be had 

 from most nurserymen. 



The sweet-scented shrub [Calycanthus 

 floridus) is a charming shrub bearing 

 chocolate or purplish-brown flowers at in- 

 tervals during the summer. As its name 

 indicates, it is quite fragrant and is a 

 desirable and pleasing plant. 



The Japanese rose (Kerria Japonica) is 

 a spreading delicate shrub with yellow 

 tassel-like flowers. There is a variegated 

 variety of this plant. 



Spircea Fortunei in its varieties alha and 

 rosea makes a shrub almost suitable for 

 bedding. So profuse is its blooming 

 and being of a dwarf habit, it is useful for 

 cemetery planting. 



The dwarf barberry {Berberis Tlittn- 

 bergii) is a pretty little plant with small 

 foliage and of a coppery-red colour, valu- 

 able for small hedges or borders. Vibur- 

 mim Opiilus nana is a neat dwarf variety 

 of the snowball, but does not bloom. 



Saving Aster Seed 



What methods are practised to obtain the 

 best seed from asters? — L.W.B., Morrisbure 

 Out. *" 



Aster plants from which seed is to be 

 saved should be selected early in the sea- 

 son when the first flowers have devel- 

 oped. Select the best types possible. 

 Keep the small blooms cut off. Save seed 

 only from the largest and best developed 

 flowers. Cut the flower-heads when the 

 seed is nearly ripe. Dry them thoroughly 

 before putting away for the winter. Keep 

 seed in a dry, cool place. — Wm. Hunt. 



A Talip Bed Protected Afaintt Do(t 



Victoria Park, Pctorboro. In thiB bed laat upring 

 8omo excellent bloome were ^rown but the crooked 

 fence marred the general effect. 



