11 



ripening of the fruit which makes it desirable, if this can be 

 secured without subjecting the plantation to danger from 

 frost. As a matter of fact, with apples in this State there is 

 usually little danger of the blossoms being hit by late frosts. 



Another item which ought to be considered in this question 

 of the aspect with reference to the sun is the danger of sun 

 scald, which is considerably greater on a southwestern slope 

 than on any other. But this is ordinarily not a serious matter 

 in Massachusetts. 



The other side of the question of slopes, that is, slopes with 

 reference to wind, is much more important, and it is very 

 desirable to secure, if possible, a slope which is away from 

 the prevailing winds of the section. In most sections of the 

 State the northwest wind is the most dangerous, since we are 

 likely to get gales from that quarter in the autumn before 

 the fruit is picked, and this may cause serious damage from 

 windfall fruit. 



5. Windbreaks. 



The last item in the score card is the matter of windbreaks, 

 which, in conjunction with the slope, help to protect the plan- 

 tation from the effect of wind, and which are, in the opinion 

 of the writer, very important. It is often possible to do such 

 labor as spraying, pruning or harvesting in the orchard with 

 entire comfort when it is protected by a good windbreak, 

 while it might not be possible to work at all if exposed to 

 the wind. This is peculiarly true of spraying, where one has 

 to consider not only the discomfort of the wind, but also the 

 difficulty of getting the spray where it is wanted. 



In this matter of windbreaks several items ought to be con- 

 sidered. First, and most important, is the kind of trees. As 

 a general proposition it may be said that no tree should be set 

 which harbors a fungus or an insect which is likely to be 

 troublesome on the orchard. This would eliminate cedars, oaks 

 and cherries. All things considered, perhaps the best trees 

 for windbreaks are the pines and spruces among* evergreens, 

 and the hard maples among deciduous trees. 



The second item which ought to be considered in this matter 

 of windbreaks is the question of how far away they ought to 

 be. This depends somewhat on whether the orchard is set 



