GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 



FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE 



use one. The idea was to build an ordinary 

 woven-wire fence and to thread cornstalks 

 or sugar-cane stalks thru the wires, thread- 

 ing closely enough together to break the 

 wind without diverting it on to parts of the 

 yard as a solid fence will do. Part or all 

 of the stalks could be easily removed during 

 hot weather, if desired, and later replaced. 

 I have built such a fence about my apiary 

 for protection this winter, as shown by the 

 photographs. It may be considered experi- 

 mental and too young to crow about. How- 

 ever, the fence is cheap, and no one can lose 

 much if it proves to be a failure. It is 

 cheaper than a board fence, and it seems as 



tho it must answer the purpose much better. 

 It should also be more effective than an 

 evergreen windbreak. It is there or not 

 there, as you wish, and it is not taking the 

 fertility from the soil, which may be of 

 greater use in growing food products. It is 

 a long wait, also, for the twenty-odd years' 

 growth required by the evergreens. The 

 stalk windbreak requires but little space 

 and is not bad-looking, as the photographs 

 show. If it is to be more permanent, grape- 

 vines, ivy, or morning glories may be plant- 

 ed and allowed to run up the fence, to add 

 to its beauty. 



Photos tell the story better than words. 



Fig. 2. — Hassinger' 



12foothigh windbreak, made by using two widths of 6-foot wire fence, one above 

 the other, and two lengths of cornstalks threaded into the wire. 



