Canadian Forestry Journal, December, 1919 



507 



THE UTILITY OF THE WINDBREAK 



By Carlos Bates, in "lVindbreal(s, Their Influence and Value." 



The term "windbreak" may be applied to any 

 object which serves as an obstacle to surface 

 winds. For the purposes of this study, how- 

 ever, it must be limited to bodies or rows of 

 trees. Windbreaks may be divided according 

 to their general arrangement into three classes: 

 (1) rows and hedgerows; (2) belts or shelter 

 belts; (3) groves, or, in the most extensive 

 case, forests. A belt usually consists of three 

 rows or more, but its width is less than twice 

 the ultimate height of the trees. 



In European countries the windbreak per- 

 haps serves its greatest utility as a check upon 

 drifting sands along the coast, especially in 

 France. In the interior steppes of Russia, 

 which correspond to our middle western plains, 

 windbreaks have been planted more or less ex- 

 tensively to protect fields from the desiccating 

 winds of the region. In Schleswig-Holstein 

 earth walls are thrown up and shrubbery is 

 planted upon them, since forest trees can not 

 be made to grow there. 



WHERE TREES COUNT MOST. 



Although windbreaks are of very real bene- 

 fit to the farmer and fruit grower everywhere, 

 it is in the treeless, wind-swept plains that they 

 find their greatest utility. In addition to the 

 esthetic benefits and the general "improvement" 

 value to the farm, it would in many instances 

 be almost impossible to raise crops without pro- 

 tection from the hot, dry winds of summer and 

 the cold, dry winter winds. 



The early settlers realized the value of trees 

 for protection and attained success in tree- 

 planting under conditions which at first seemed 

 very unfavorable. First, small groves were 

 planted about the houses and barnyards. Grad- 

 ually these were extended in the form of belts 

 or single rows to protect the larger areas of 

 orchards and fields. Where the soil was light 

 it was necessary to prevent its drifting. The 

 farmers soon found also that a windbreak was 

 very useful in preventing the drifting of snow. 

 Railroad companies made many desultory at- 

 tempts to protect their tracks by planting belts 

 of trees far enough away to serve as snow traps, 

 but more frequently loose fences were used. 



Orchards must be protected from the mech- 

 anical effects of the winds which strike the trees 

 when they are laden with fruit; from their dry- 

 ing effect, which blights the fruit and causes 

 it to shrink; and from the drying or "winter- 

 killing" of the branches. This applies not only 

 to the prairie states, but also to the lake states, 

 the fruit region of California, and the Columbia 

 river valley fruit region. In many sections of 

 Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Maine, and New 

 York, where peach growing was formerly pro- 

 fitable, it is now impossible to raise consistent 

 crops of this fruit, because of the increased ex- 

 posure that has resulted from the removal of 

 the original forests. 



FOR WHEAT AND RYE. 



It is necessary to consider also such winter 

 crops as wheat and rye. For the protection 



An ill ;_ 



WAl. luiul.s 111 Si. lit! 



