PRAIRIE PLANTING. 41 



of trees which may be planted for shelter, fuel or other pur- 

 poses. 



Protection to Buildings may be furnished by a few rows or a 

 grove of trees. It is generally best to locate the buildings in 

 a grove or grow one up around them so that protection may 

 be afforded from every quarter to the best advantage. The 

 garden should also be included in the grove or shelterbelt 

 about the buildings. 



Distance of the Trees from the Buildings and Roadways. Of what- 

 ever the protection consists it should not be close to the build- 

 ings or to any paths which are used in winter, for the snow 

 drifts which always form to the leeward of such protection 

 may become a great nuisance under such circumstances during 

 winters of great snow fall. The windbreak had better be 

 placed about one hundred feet back from the buildiners, and if 

 shade is wanted it can be obtained from scattered trees near 

 the buildings which will not drift the snow. The same rule 

 applies to the planting of trees on the north side of a road- 

 way. The drifts of snow which would be formed to the lee- 

 ward of a windbreak so planted would take longer to thaw in 

 the spring and would keep the road muddy and in poor con- 

 dition after those that were not protected had become dry and 

 firm. A row of trees is very appropriate by the side of a 

 street or roadway and affords a pleasant shade, and if not 

 planted too closely together will not drift the snow sufficiently 

 to be an objection. 



Protection to Crops by Windbreaks. The objection to wind- 

 breaks close to driveways may also be made against their use 

 in fields, for they often keep the land for a short distance to 

 leeward wet and in unfit condition to work after the rest of the 

 field has become dry. This is an objection where spring 

 grains are grown, but to winter grains it is an advantage. On 

 the other hand, the protection of a windbreak may give a 

 much needed or beneficial covering of snow to crops on the 

 leeward side. The protection from dust storms and drying 

 winds has already been mentioned. The important question 

 is how to get the advantages without the disadvantages. In 

 many sections the disadvantage of having the snow linger on 

 the field near the windbreak may be overcome by leaving a 



