18 AMEKICAN GRAPE CULTUEE. 



always better than no shelter at all ; for simple 

 as it may seem, the influence of such a fence is 

 felt for several hundred feet. In some cases suffi- 

 cient shelter may be found in the natural wood 

 surrounding the selected site; but in others, and 

 the great majority of cases, it will be necessary 

 to make the shelter by planting trees. Of de- 

 ciduous trees, we should select the birch or 

 the maple. If the ground could be spared, we 

 should plant two rows of trees, though one row 

 will answer the purpose very well. The birch 

 we should plant three feet apart each way ; the 

 maple, four feet apart. Of evergreen trees, we 

 should select the Norway spruce, and plant 

 four feet apart. The evergreens will make much 

 the best shelter. The sheltering belt should be 

 so arranged as to afford protection against prev- 

 alent winds, and these, in most cases, proceed 

 from the northeast, north, and northwest ; some- 

 times from some point south. Wherever they 

 come from, let them be shut off by belts or 

 clumps of trees. 



A caution may be added, not to plant a belt 

 or clump of trees in too close proximity to the 

 vines. The roots of the trees will soon find 

 their way among the vines, and damage them 

 greatly. We have seen instances where at- 



