148 



Caiitididii rm-estry Journal, /Ipril, ig20. 



bility to fire. I'^xtra precautions are 

 necessary on the part of tlie track 

 forces to keep fire from getting into 

 the plantation. 



There are some fine examples of 

 tree fences in the orchard belt of On- 

 tario. Some of these fences have 

 evidently been located at least fifty 

 years. On the wind swept prairies 

 too, settlers have found trees an ex- 

 cellent protection both in VvMuter and 

 in summer. 



Tree Fences Are Now Cheap. 



Railway officers have been aware 

 of the practicability and desiral^ility 

 of this type of fence for some time 

 but the price of lumber and posts, un- 

 til recently, has not made tree plant- 

 ing very attractive. However, tree 

 planting today, in Eastern Canada, 

 can be done for less than one half the 

 cost of wooden fences. Live fences 

 are effective and economical. Aft?r 

 the third and fourth year, no main- 

 tenance is required. They are decora- 

 tive and do much to make the right 

 of way attractive. 



Planting has been done very suc- 

 cessfully by the Intercolonial in 

 northern New Brunswick, since 1887 

 Here the local red spruce has been 

 dug up from nearby fields and trans- 

 planted. This work is still being 

 carried on. 



When the trees reached a height of 

 9 feet to 10 feet, the tops are trim- 

 med. Trees from 18 inches to 36 

 inches in height have been planted in 

 two rows. From time to time any 

 failures have been taken out and re- 

 placements made. This is perhaps 

 the most striking example of just 

 what can be done along this line. 



The Canadian Pacific and the Soo 

 line have been planting for a number 

 of years in the prairie country. Mois- 

 ture conditions limit the varieties to 

 deciduous shrubs and trees. From 

 six to eight rows of shrubs and trees 

 are required. Locust, carragana, wil- 

 low and poplar are the species used 

 Attempt is being made after the plan- 

 tations have been several years 

 located, to interplant with spruce. 

 Pine and Spruce are Best. 



The ideal snow fence appears to be 



tlie white or red spruce of this coun- 

 try, or the Norway spruce, planted 

 two or three rows staggered. The 

 trees hold their foliage well to the 

 ground. They grow rapidly making 

 from 10 to J 6 inches annually, after 

 having become established. They 

 make an excellent snow barricade, 

 and are striking in appearance. 



Balsam, though of a more rapid 

 growth than spruce, is subject to 

 more enemies, is considerably more 

 brittle, and is not so satisfactory in 

 holding its lower branches. It should 

 do well, however, in mixture. 



Cedar is used extensively, and al- 

 though of slower growth than any of 

 the other species planted, when once 

 established, does extremely well. It 

 makes an even more artistic show 

 than perhaps any of the other species. 



North of Lake Superior and west 

 to the prairies where jack pine pre- 

 dominates, the use of this tree is to 

 be recommended. It is of quick 

 growth, but has the drawback of los- 

 ing its lower branches quickly, es- 

 pecially when planted close. It should 

 be used in mixture with spruce, bal- 

 sam or cedar. Norway pine has the 

 same growing characteristics, but like 

 the Jack pine, it: will probably do well 

 in mixture. Use of hemlock has been 

 recommended, but it would appear the 

 least satisfactory of all trees men- 

 tioned. 



Generally it can be stated that the 

 best conifers to plant in any locality 

 are the trees which thrive there under 

 natural conditions. 



It requires seven years at least to 

 get sufficient growth to make effec- 

 tive snow breaks. 



The factors which effect the cost of 

 planting trees and on which success 

 of the plantations depends are, first: 

 the distance which trees have to be 

 hauled. If it were possible to lift 

 trees only a short distance, say with- 

 in half a mile, the loss would be 

 greatly reduced. It is obvious, how"- 

 ever, that where trees are transported 

 from wagons to cars and then taken 

 to destination, drying out of the roots 

 occurs, and the loss is greatly in- 

 creased. 



