58 MAKING THE ORCHARD. 



careful cultivating is not as necessary, but at all 

 times the tree must be kept in a good thrifty grow- 

 ing condition, and not be allowed to be robbed of 

 its food and water by weeds and grass. 



WIND BREAKS. 



Among the early settlers of the west there was as 

 much a stereotyped plan of laying out the grounds for 

 the buildings and orchard as there was a little later 

 when ornamentals began to be thought about, and 

 culminated in the two rows of evergreens running 

 from the front door directly to the gate. This was 

 not done probably for the purpose of insuring a 

 snow blockade during the winter, but that visitors 

 who should find the gate might be directed to 

 the door; it does not seem to serve any other 

 purpose. 



The wind break was generally in the shape of an 

 L, sometimes a perfect square. When in an Iy, it was 

 on the north and west of the buildings, but an area 

 of from a fraction of an acre to one or two acres 

 was left between the biiildings and this grove for 

 the orchard. It is not strange that so many of 

 them were unsuccessful in such a location as it 

 could not well be worse. Had the fruit trees been 

 planted as soon as the forest trees (cottonwoods), 

 they would have stood a better chance, but they 

 must wait, as others did, till the wind break was 

 up before risking the trees. By this time the roots 

 of the shelter trees had taken undisputed possession 

 of the ground to be occupied by the orchard and 



