NEED OF TIMBER-BELTS FOR FARM-PROTECTION. 277 



losses of fruit and forest trees in Kansas, and condemning: altogether 

 any attempt at planting until the soil was as thoroughly prepared as 

 for corn, he says: 



With my present experience as to the peculiarities of the soil and climate of Kansas, 

 I would piiint timber only in the form of Hhelter-belts for the protection of farm crops, 

 the orchard, the stock-range, and the home and its surroundings, being especially care- 

 ful to shelter the latter from the north, northwest, and northeast winds, leaving the 

 south and east, particularly, open to the sunshine and s-^uth winds, which are nearly 

 always warm in winter and cool in summer. By planting the shelter-belts on the 

 higher and more exposed ground, where practicable, the value of the farm may be 

 greatly enhanced at a comparatively small outlay, aesthetically as well as practically. 

 From experience and observation, I am of the firm belief that if 40 acres in every 

 quarter-section were thus occupied by judiciously located timber-belts, the remaining 

 three-fourths would produce more than all of it would without the protection thus 

 afforded. I have seen the soil in exposed situations blown away to a depth of 6 inches, 

 or a«i deep as the land has been plowed, in a single season. An effective shelter-belt 

 would not only remedy this evil, but would serve largely as a preventive of drought; 

 first, by measurably warding off the dry, hot winds that sometimes sweep over the 

 country as a blighting, withering curse ; and, secondly, as a shelter for the snow that 

 is otherwise blown away into the ravines and hollows where it is not needed ; and. again, 

 in breaking the force of the fierce storms that almost every season do more or less in- 

 jury to the growing corn and other farm crops. 



I recommend the cottonwood for timber-belts, rather than some other more valuable 

 species of wood, from the fact that it takes kindly to our prairie soil, grows rapidly 

 and tall, and is yet able to withstand the force of the winds ; and, on the whole, seems 

 to fill the bill more nearly than any other at hand just now. To render this shelter 

 more effectual, I would plant out a single row of box-elder, or some other spreading or 

 low-heading tree on either side of the cottonwood belt. I recommend the box elder for 

 this purpose, from the fact that it is never stripped of its leaves in summer, not even 

 by the omnivorous hopper. As this belt attains to age and size, it must be systemati- 

 cally thinned out, by removing from year to year a certain number of the less likely or 

 less thrifty trees, else in the course of time you will find them dying out en masse for 

 want of sufficient nourishment to keep up the vital force necessary for their continuous 

 growth and well-being. As they are removed thus gradually, other varieties of forest- 

 trees may with success and profit be made to take the places thus vacated, and for this 

 purpose, where they can be had easily, I would especially recommend red cedar. At 

 all events, in planting a grove, stick to our nalire forest-trees, rather than any of for- 

 eign growth, however highly they may be extolled by parties interested in tlieir sale, 

 or without an experimental knowledge as to their adaptability to our peculiar soil and 

 climate. 



A few words as to the best mode of planting such a belt must suffice for this phase 

 of the subject. Supposing the ground to be in proper condition, and the trees ready to 

 hand, with team and plow strike a straight furrow through the center of the piece to 

 be planted, and back-furrow three rounds, going 8 to 10 inches deep. 'Mien with an 

 armful of small tre€S pass along in the furrow, and at every 4 feet stoop down and pl^ce 

 a tree in the lo'-se soil thrown up at the last round, letting the top lean toward the 

 ridge. Then turn on a furrow, and so on at every fourth furrow, until a dozen or more 

 rows have been thus put in their place. Then passing along each row, straighten up 

 each tree with the hand, and at the same time press the earth firmly about it with the 

 feet. In this way, with one man to run the team, and two others to put the trees in 

 place and straighten them up, two acres may be planted with .'S.OOO trees in a day, at 

 a cost, aside from procuring the trees, of not more than $5. In this manner, the farm, 

 when comparatively level, may be surrounded and intersected, where necessary, with 

 shelter-belts, at a comparatively small cost, and the value of the place may be doubled 

 in live years. 



In orchard and small-fruit culture, I consider protection of some sort an absolute 

 essefftiil to success. I have found most kinds of small fruits doing best when par- 

 tially sheltered from the hot sun ; while the sad effects of the burning southwest winds 

 two summers ago is but too apparent in nearly all the orchards of Kansas lo-dav. In 

 my own, I have found, generally speaking, the least damage done where most eftectu- 

 ally sheltered on the south and west.' 



In asserting the value of wind-breaks to growing crops, or as a shelter 

 for stock, it is impossible to appraise the benefit pecuniarily with any- 

 thing like the exactness with which we measure and sell the actual 

 products of the forest. We may, however, sometimes arnve at a close 

 approximafion by comparing the differences shown where the protection 



1 Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Societi/ for 1875, p. 113. 



