NEED OF SCREENS OF TIMBER IN FRUIT-CULTURE. 273 



which shows the benefits to agriculture, which might be followed with 

 infinite advantage with us: 



In most parts of Italy, malberry trees are planted over a large part of the fields 

 under cultivation, and tall trees (usually Lombardy poplars), are left along all the 

 boundaries and division lines in this countryaud France. The consequence is, that the 

 violence of the winds is so checked that all the operations of husbandry are pursued in 

 comfort, and scarcely any tree is observed to lean in any particular direction ; whilst, 

 on the contrary, in New England, near the coast, nearly every tree has a very decided 

 leaning toward the northeaHt.' 



Windhredks for orchards. — At the winter meeting of the Nebraska 

 State Horticultural Society, held at Omaha January 3, 1873, the subject 

 of orchard-planting being under discussion, some interesting results of 

 experience were presented, which are worthy of notice. 



Judge Mason made a statement of his experiments, failures, and final 

 success. In his first trial, he had begun on the raw sod, on the rolling 

 prairie, by spading deeply, in spaces 8 feet square, and planting apple 

 trees, but of this planting every tree died. He then broke up the prai- 

 rie, cultivated the soil for two years, and, in 1860, set out 200 apple 

 trees, including some 15 or 20 varieties. A killing frost occurred Oc- 

 tober 22-23, 1864, and a snow 6 inches deep, and the thermometer below 

 zero. His Red Astriclian trees were not injured ; Maiden Blush was killed ; 

 tvine sap some injured but not killed, and the Jenneton, Bomanite, and 

 Yellow Bellejloicer some hurt, but not killed. His preference was for the 

 White Winter Pearmain, both for profit and hardiness, and he advised the 

 planting of the Jenneton largely. His first orchard had a wind-break on 

 the west but not on the south. His experience was, that they wanted a 

 wind-break all around, but, if they could not have that, then plant it on 

 the south. They would notice that almost all trees sloped to the north. 

 The prevalent wind was from the south, and on that side the trees were 

 liable to be sun-scalded, and he would therefore put the wind break upon 

 the south side first. 



In regard to planting — out of 100 trees set the day of their removal from 

 the nursery, he had not lost one. of 100 that had been taken up in the 

 fall and heeled in, he had lost 75. Of 200 pear trees he thought he 

 he had lost 5 per cent. Out of 75 shipped from Bloomiugton, 111., he had 

 only lost 8. His were only dwarf pears, set in 1860. Out of 100, he 

 had lost 10 the first year, the others grew and came into bearing in three 

 years. None were lost in 1864, but in 1865 he left them without hilling, 

 and the next spring they leaved out, but were soon after all dead. He 

 planted 75 others, and every winter he has hilled up around the quince 

 root till the last, when he happened to be away, and lost 12 that were 

 in bearing. The pear was not tender, it was the quince root or stock. 

 They all bore well la-st year. He would rather hill up with earth than 

 with manure. He would plant upon the highest spots on his farm, and, 

 as to a slope, the northern was the best. 



The best shelter was the gray willow, followed by evergreens inside. 

 The willow grew rajndly, and if planted at the same time as the trees, 

 the ground could be cultivated for two years, and the cornstalks left, 

 alter which the trees would take care of themselves. The distance at 

 which he planted in his old orchard was two rods, and when the trees 

 attained their growth their branches would touch. His rule was now to 

 plant 16 feet each way, and when they became two thick, cut out 

 for fire wood ; to cultivate for two years, or not to exceed three, and sod 

 down. The object ought to be to send the trees into winter quarters in 



' Geo. B. Emerson, in his preface to second edition of Trees and Shrubs of Massachu- 

 setts, p. xiii. 



18 F 



