Shelter. 5 



plied by the planting of deciduous and evergreen trees, especially the 

 latter. While deciduous trees answer a good purpose for protection from 

 winds in summer, and assist in doing the same in winter, still evergreens 

 are much better to furnish shelter during the cold weather. If high fences 

 or buildings afford so great a shelter as we have claimed, why will not a 

 high hedge of Norway spruce, or some tree equally well adapted to the 

 purpose, give just the shelter required by the gardens and orchards .'' Or, if 

 a single hedge or row is not enough, then plant a belt of trees. How often 

 do we see at the North evergreen-trees (pines and spruce) planted to break 

 off the cold winds from a dwelling-house ! — the owner thus fully recognizing 

 the principle we have laid down. We remember visiting a fine farm in the 

 State of Maine some few years ago, where we found a pear-orchard in 

 pretty good condition, where it was completely surrounded by a belt of 

 spruce-trees ; while we were told by the owner that all the trees planted on 

 the outside, and away from these trees, had utterly failed. The 'tree used 

 here was the Norway spruce. 



Young evergreen-hedges, especially the hemlock, in exposed locations, 

 should receive, for two or three years, some protection ; and this can be 

 accomplished by sticking down evergreen boughs each side of the hedge 

 from November to April. When trees are planted in belts or hedge-rows 

 to protect fields or gardens, evergreens will be found preferable. Those 

 best adapted to the work are the white pine, Norway spruce, Scotch pine, 

 Norway pine, American arborvitae, American spruce. The Scotch larch, 

 though not an evergreen, is a rapid grower, and will soon make a tree of 

 considerable height. The red cedar is also pretty good to mix in with 

 the above-named sorts, though it is not a rapid grower. The hemlock, 

 which is liable to injury when exposed, will do pretty well when planted in 

 belts with other evergreen-trees. T he white pine will bear the pruning 

 hook and shears well, and the trees which have attained height may be 

 headed in. The Norway spruce can be treated in the same way, and can 

 be profitably employed for hedges of ordinary size. Most of the trees are 

 exceedingly hardy, and can be used in the most exposed places with per- 

 fect safety. One objection is raised against thus planting trees about fields, 

 that no crops can be raised in the shade of such timber; and, even on the 

 exposed or sunny side, the roots extend into the ground, and exhaust the 



