86 WINDBREAKS. 



partly due to the wider root extent of osage, and, in dry years, when 

 sapping was pronounced, it would be necessary to charge this species 

 with use of a greater area than that demanded by the shorter-rooted 

 trees. 



(3) The effect of cultivation, especially in the poorer situations, is 

 as marked in increasing the growth and post value of hedges as it was 

 found to be in reducing the root extent. 



(4) The cutting back or coppicing of osage orange does not bring 

 especially rapid or heavy returns, although sprouts are produced in 

 abundance, and they grow thriftily for several years. Examination 

 of the last column of figures in the table shows that these sprouts do 

 not produce first-class posts. More heavy thinning should be resorted 

 to. Measurements have shown that coppice osage has the same power 

 for sapping as did the larger trees from which it originated. This 

 energy can be made to produce merchantable stuff if the proper 

 methods are used. 



RUSSIAN MULBERRY. 



The Russian mulberry has been planted extensively in Nebraska 

 and Kansas, and on account of its very vigorous and rapid growth 

 yields a good revenue from posts at an early age. Mulberry posts 

 are very durable, especially when they contain a large proportion of 

 heartwood, and they compare favorably with catalpa in all sizes. 

 They are more lasting than green ash or honey locust, but inferior 

 to black locust and osage orange. Russian mulberry is not hardy in 

 the North, and freezes back each winter so severely as greatly to 

 reduce its value. Even in western Kansas it is likely to be winter- 

 killed where moisture is not abundant. In good situations the damage 

 to the smaller branches in winter does not prevent its yielding profit- 

 ably. Very valuable mulberry has been found on rather dry situa- 

 tions, where sheltered by other trees. The tree is fairly drought- 

 resistant, having very extensive roots, and it is a very vigorous 

 sprouter. It is considered a severe sapper when planted next to 

 field crops, but as a shelter for orchards it is not likely to be harmful 

 from this attribute. Besides forming a dense and almost impenetrable 

 windbreak, mulberry has the additional value, when planted about 

 orchards, of furnishing an inferior fruit, which is eaten by birds in 

 preference to the more valuable orchard products. It has its great- 

 est value in this respect in protecting cherry orchards. 



The area charged to mulberry rows has been calculated on the basis 

 of its branching extent as compared to osage orange, since it is prob- 

 able that the amount of damage in the shaded zone will be approxi- 

 mately the same for both. 



