18 



SPECIAL PEATURES OF POREST PLANTING ABOUT THE 



FARMSTEAD. 



On rare occasions it is found to be impracticable to concentrate the 

 different elements of the farmstead in one place. (See fig. 3.) In 

 the great majority of c'ases, however, it is both practicable and eco- 

 nomical to have a farmstead, and the choice of its site is of the first 

 importance to the landowner. 



If the farmsteads of several adjoining sections were laid out in 

 accordance with the plan herein suggested, four farmhouses would 

 be grouped at each crossroads corner, bringing neighbors together in 

 a little settlement. The position at the crossroads is also likely to 

 facilitate the reaching of church, school, and town. An argument 

 against such an arrangement is the possibility of its leadiug to 

 neighborhood quarrels. 



In many cases, however, uniformity of soil does not exist. The 

 farmstead must then be located with reference to the adaptability of 

 the soil to the forest growth, since a farmstead without trees for shade 

 and shelter is not worthy of the name. The forest planter, therefore, 

 is often the one to determine the location of a permanent site for the 

 farmhouse, and he may also lay out at least the plan of the farmstead 

 itself. 



Fig. 3, representing the farmstead located on the southeast quar- 

 ter of the section sketched in fig. 2, has been prepared to show how 

 forest planting may be made to help every one of the different parts 

 that go to make up the farmstead. "Windbreak belts, 5 rods wide, are 

 located on the north, west, and south sides of the farmstead. Open 

 spaces varying from 72 to 96 feet in width have been provided to the 

 north and west of the buildings and orchards, to act as snow traps to 

 catch the drifts during winter storms. Every farmer is familiar with 

 the fact that a hedge or belt of trees on the north side of an east-and- 

 west road will cause the road to be filled with snow during winter, 

 when the wind comes from the north. So the open space on the farm- 

 stead will in the same way tra^^ the snow, and will consequently pre- 

 vent any drifts from forming near the barn or residence or in the 

 orchards. These open spaces may be utilized for garden vegetables, 

 sugar beets, and other annual feed crops, the accumulation of winter 

 snows serving as an annual irrigation to store up large quantities of 

 soil moisture for the garden, and making the land particularly well 

 adapted to this purpose. The trees on the edges of these spaces will, 

 for the same reason, grow very vigorously. 



In this plan the convenience, health, and comfort of the tenants of 

 the farmhouse have all been considered in the location of both barn 

 and residence. The grouping of the trees in the background of the 



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