90 The Principles of Fruit-growing. 
The cabbage palmetto is often allowed to stand 
promiscuously through the orange plantation, partly 
to serve as a protection from winds, partly for 
shade and ornament, and partly to exert some sup- 
posed influence in correcting the acidity of the land. 
In exposed places, orange-groves are sometimes 
protected by very tall open fences. 
General summary upon wind-breaks.—1. A wind- 
break may exert great influence upon a fruit planta- 
tion. 
2. The benefits derived from wind-breaks are the 
following: Protection from cold; lessening of evapo- 
ration from soil and plants; lessening of windfalls ; 
lessening of liability to mechanical injury of trees; 
retention of snow and leaves; facilitating of labor; 
protection of blossoms from severe winds; enabling 
trees to grow more erect; lessening of injury from 
the drying up of small fruits; retention of sand in 
certain localities; hastening of maturity of fruits in 
some cases; encouragement of birds; ornamentation. 
3. The injuries sustained from wind-breaks are 
as follows: Preventing the free circulation of warm 
winds, and consequent exposure to cold; injuries 
from insects and fungous diseases; injuries from the 
encroachment of the wind-break itself; increased lia- 
bility to late spring frosts in rare cases. 
a. The injury from cold, still air is usually 
confined to those localities which are directly 
influenced by large bodies of water, and which 
are protected by forest belts. It can be avoided 
by planting thin belts. 
