502 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



oaks far outgrew their neighbors planted in more favorable 

 soils but without protection. After this, the use of Scotch 

 pines became more general ; strong belts were planted on the 

 most exposed outsides of the plantations, and also across, at 

 intervals, in lines, towards the most prevailing winds, and 

 from them great benefit was found ; but in all cases where 

 oaks were planted actually amongst the pines, and surrounded 

 by them, the oaks were found to be much the best." 



Here we have the best of evidence of the importance of 

 shelter even to an oak. And shall we suppose for a moment 

 that a fruit tree needs less protection to produce its fruit, 

 aside from the mere growth of the tree ? If the oak, planted 

 with a view simply to raise timber, must be nursed while 

 young, by larches and pines, shall not a pear tree, cultivated 

 for its delicious fruit, have equal care ? The answer is plain. 

 Every intelligent cultivator must be aware of the necessity of 

 shelter, and he who expects to succeed without it, is wanting 

 in that experience and knowledge which alone can insure 

 profitable results. It is the key to the many failures of which 

 we have repeated accounts ; of the death of trees by exposure 

 in winter ; of the loss of a whole crop by the dropping of 

 their blossoms ; of the spotting and cracking of the fruit, 

 in exposed situations, and, in fine, the want of growth and 

 vigor in numerous localities. 



A successful specimen of overcoming obstacles of this kind, 

 and a decided evidence of the importance of shelter, we have 

 in the experiment of F. Tudor, Esq., at Nahant, Mass., de- 

 tailed in a previous volume, (XV., p. 413,) where, by means 

 of double palings of great height, the temperature of several 

 acres has been so changed, that while in the coldest winter 

 the earth is frozen only a foot in depth, the soil on the out- 

 side freezes three or four feet deep ; and in summer, when 

 there is scarcely wind enough inside the palings to rustle 

 the leaves of the trees, on the outside they were moved with 

 such violence as to dislodge them, and even bruise their 

 branches. Here, where scarcely a tree could be made to 

 stand the blast and the breeze unprotected, in the garden the 

 finest pears are raised in the greatest perfection. 



