TREES FOR WIND BREAKS 499 



low growth, is the pepper tree (Schinus molle). It is also grown in 

 rows by itself. It makes a dense head, grows rapidly, and flourishes 

 without much care. Trees planted eighteen feet apart will soon come 

 together and make a dense wall of very beautiful, bright, light-green 

 foliage. The pepper is not only a good windbreak, but also an excel- 

 lent dust-catcher. Unlike most trees which are used for this purpose, 

 it does not become laden with dust. The leaves are smooth and glossy, 

 and therefore repel the dust particles, which, stopped in their flight by 

 the dense foliage of the tree, instead of clinging to it drop to the 

 ground. The growth of the pepper tree near the coast is much slower 

 than that of the Monterey cypress. The eucalyptus and the cypress 

 for the coast, and the eucalyptus and pepper for the interior valleys, 

 make, probably, as perfect a wall of foliage all the year round as can 

 be had. The blue gum is, however, somewhat subject to frost killing, 

 especially when young, and in very frosty places is objected to on that 

 account. A number of other species of eucalyptus are now being 

 planted, and are being found more hardy than the blue gum. The 

 rostrata, rudis, tereticornis, polyanthema, amygdalina, viminalis and 

 others are of this character. 



The Monterey pine (Pinus insignis) is a rapid, high-growing tree, 

 and, though a native of the coast, has proved itself well adapted to the 

 interior valleys of the central portion of the State. Its foliage is dense 

 for a pine, and its shelter, therefore, the more complete. A native white 

 cedar (Libocedrus decurrens) has also been employed as a shelter tree 

 in the San Joaquin Valley, and is commended as a rapid grower in the 

 interior as on the coast. Its ability to stand drouth, heat and frost is 

 said to exceed that of any of the conifers of the seacoast. It stands 

 well in the most exposed situations, as its roots run very deep into the 

 earth and it is claimed that it does not sap the fertility from the soil 

 around its base, as with the blue gum. It is also said to be less subject 

 to frost injury than the Monterey cypress and pine. 



All the foregoing are evergreen trees, and therefore afford protec- 

 tion summer and winter alike. Of deciduous trees there are many 

 which may be well employed. The California black walnut makes a 

 very satisfactory growth both in the interior and upon the coast, and 

 is largely used for roadside planting. The California broad-leaved 

 maple (Acer macrophylla) is very beautiful, rapid in growth, and dense 

 in foliage, and the same is true of the box elder (Acer negrundo), but 

 probably both trees are especially suited to the coast regions. Of the 

 poplars, the Carolina (Populus monilifera) is best, because of its 

 breadth, density of foliage, and comparative freedom from suckering. 

 The locust (Robinia pseudacacia) is used to some extent, but its suck- 

 ering is very objectionable. 



Quite a number of the larger-growing deciduous fruit trees are used 

 to some extent along the exterior lines of orchards for the protection 

 of the inclosure. The fig, the walnut, the chestnut, seedling almonds, 

 and apricots are especially commended for such use. 



Growing Trees from Seed. Much that has been said in Chapter 

 VIII will be suggestive to one who desires to grow his own shelter 

 trees from seed. Trees from small seeds are best grown in boxes, and 



