Influence of Environment 49 



would probably remain for as much as a month or six 

 weeks. 



Another method which had some advocates, and which 

 is still practiced in some sections, although with but little 

 commercial success, is the mulching of the ground very 

 heavily in late spring before the frost leaves the soil. 

 Another plan is to heap the snow around the roots and 

 trunks of the trees, or, as one fruit grower in the region 

 of the Cascade Mountains has done, to actually haul ice 

 from the mountains and pack it around the trees in an 

 effort to prevent the trees from starting into growth in 

 the spring until after the danger period had passed. Such 

 means, however, have not given success, for the reason 

 that the branches of* a plant can start into growth inde- 

 pendently of root action, provided the branches are in a 

 suitable temperature. Any person can prove this to his 

 own satisfaction by pulling the branches of a tree or vine 

 into a warm room late in the winter and blocking up 

 around the opening through which it is passed to keep out 

 the cold air. The roots may be frozen solid, but in the 

 course of a few days the buds will start into growth, and 

 may actually come into blossom. The only way in which 

 a mulch packed over frozen ground to prevent its thawing 

 out early, or storing snow and ice in the orchard could 

 effect the blooming period of the trees, would be directly 

 dependent on the way in which such means affected the 

 temperature of the atmosphere surrounding the buds. 



Influence of Environment 



The relation which any district will bear to frostiness 

 will depend to a great extent on the natural surroundings. 

 Nearness to large bodies of water has a great influence on 

 frost, and some sections, even though they are far north, 

 have very mild climates and with a minimum of frosty 

 days* in late spring. In the northern part of the state of 

 Washington, and in southern British Columbia, the climate 

 is mild, considering the high latitude, due to the influence 

 of the chinook winds which pass over the region directly 



