INJURIES TO TREES. 



117 



cut all the merchantable timber, for if left it is sure to be 

 blown down. 



On our prairies where the soil is light and easily blown 

 away it is not uncommon to have young seedling- trees serious- 

 ly injured by the blowing away of the soil around the roots 

 which often leaves them uncovered for three or more inches. 

 This injury usually takes place in the spring and may be 

 almost entirely pi-evented by seeding the land to oats about 

 the middle of July at the time of the 

 last cultivation. Sown at this season 

 the oats form a good sod that serves 

 to hold the soil in place until spring 

 when it is easily broken up bycultiva- 

 ation, but even then the roots prevent 

 the blowing away of the soil. Occa- 

 sional strips of grass are also a pre- 

 ventive of this injury. 



Snow Crust. The settling of a snow 

 crust that has formed on the top of 

 deep snow drifts may cause injury to 

 young trees by stripping oft' their 

 branches and breaking the stems. It 

 may be prevented by breaking up the 

 crust or by thinly scattering over the 

 snow some sand, ashes or other mater- 

 ial that will absorb the sun's heat and 

 cause the crust to melt before the snow 

 underneath melts. This injury seldom 

 occurs except under drifts and a little 

 good judgement in selecting the loca- 

 tion and arranging the windbreak so 

 as to prevent drifts may obviate this 

 source of injury. 



Drouth. Injuries from drouth may 

 be prevented to a great extent by 

 constant cultivation, but where this 



p. 29 cannot be done mulching is a good 



Cracks in Sugar Maple. substitute. Attention to thinning at 



