Shelters. 211 



APPENDIX V. 



Shbltbrs. 



That shelter is " half meat " {i.e., food) is an old saying on the 

 Borders, and, in confirmation of this, I may mention that my 

 late friend, Mr. Faunce de Laune of Sharsted Court, fomid that 

 a sheep shelter he had put up paid, in fourteen days' time, 

 interest on the outlay incurred in making it. He had two lots 

 of sheep, which were being fed on oilcake, and which were 

 regularly weighed, and the increase of weight in the lot that had 

 the benefit of the shelter was such that it, in a fortnight, yielded 

 the financial result I have stated. Although, however, the facts 

 previously given are well known it does not seem to be, at least 

 practically, known that shelter affords a very large increase in the 

 growth of food for stock. I have long been aware of this, hut 

 was more particidarly struck with it this year (1904) in the case 

 of the HareweUs field, which is fully protected on one side by 

 a plantation, and partially so on the other. The field was yoilng 

 grass, and was cut for hay, and it was interesting to note that 

 as you got away from the reach of the shelter the yield of grass 

 gradually declined towards the unprotected portion of the field, 

 and, probably, to the extent, in the most central portions, of 

 about 25 per cent. But if the stock and the grass require shelter 

 the plantations, when young, equally require it, and pei'haps in a 

 greater degree, and it is of obvious importance to devise some 

 means of at once sheltering stock, grass, and plantations, tiH the 

 last has grown sufficiently to afford the "desired shelter. The 

 following remarks with reference t6 shelters for hop gardens and 

 orchards have been supplied to me by the kindness of a friend, 

 and I have no doubt' may be useful for the information conveyed, 

 and as a means of calling attention to the whole subject, so that 

 improved methods of sheltering young plantations, stock, and 

 grass may be devised. 



With the view of providing practical protection for a young 

 plantation I am experimenting with larch poles about 12 feet 

 in height, and 6 feet apart, with stays on the sides from which 



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