Effects of Winds 43 



usual movement of air, is much to be desired. A naturally 

 protected area is to be preferred; but in default of this, 

 windbreaks may be planted, as subsequently advised. 



There are the most various and contradictory opinions 

 amongst fruit-growers as to the influence of winds on fruit- 

 plantations. It is commonly admitted that high or rolling 

 lands are best suited to most fruits, and many growers sup- 

 pose that the reason of it is that winds there find free 

 course. The truth is, however, that several features con- 

 spire to render these lands congenial to fruits. Some of 

 these characteristics are the following: Good atmospheric 

 drainage; the avoidance of still air in frosty weather; good 

 water-drainage; earliness or lateness, according as they 

 are southward or northward exposures. High or strong 

 winds are always to be avoided, if possible. 



As a rule, winds are beneficial to fruit-plantations only 

 when they bring warmer air, or when they keep the air 

 in motion in frosty weather. If, therefore, high lands 

 could be protected from winds without endangering 

 atmospheric drainage or exposing the plantation to frost, 

 much should be gained. 



In dry regions there is a special reason for desiring to 

 abate the winds, from the fact that they subtract so much 

 moisture from soil and plants. Even a sHght obstruction 

 in the path of the wind may give marked results in the 

 conservation of moisture. On this point, King writes 

 as follows: 



"In arid or semi-arid countries, and in districts where 

 the soil is light and leachy, but especially where there 

 are large tracts of land whose incoherent soils suffer from 

 the drifting action of winds, it is important that the 

 velocity of the winds near the ground should be reduced 

 to the minimum. We have in Wisconsin extensive areas 



