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great value to the orchardist. Windbreaks 
shield the trees from the hot drying winds 
of summer, reduce the percentage of wind- 
falls, and assist in holding the snow in 
winter. The location or the windbreak 
should be determined by local conditions, 
though generally speaking our most de- 
structive winds are during the growing 
season, and are the hot dry winds from 
the south and west. It is inadvisable to 
plant a windbreak on more than two sides 
of the orchard. 
“The windbreaks may consist of either 
deciduous or evergreen trees. Jf decidu- 
ous trees are used, they may be planted 
in rows about eight feet apart and the 
trees four feet apart in the row, with the 
idea of thinning as they become larger. 
In this way a supply of timber and post 
material can be secured at the same time. 
The catalpa, diamond willow, and green 
ash are desirable deciduous trees for this 
purpose. The soft maple is also widely 
used though it is a gross feeder and 
should be given more room and also placed 
at a greater distance from the last row 
of apple trees than the kinds we have 
named. 
“Among the evergreens, the white pine, 
Austrian pine, white spruce, and Norway 
spruce are widely planted. It is often ad- 
vantageous to plant two rows of ever- 
greens, using one row of quick growers 
such as Norway spruce or Seotch pine, and 
the second row of slower growing, long- 
lived kinds, such as the white pine. The 
windbreaks should be cultivated with a 
corn cultivator for the first two or three 
years after planting, as the annual growth 
can be greatly increased thereby. The 
red cedar should not be planted as an 
evergreen about the orchard, since it is a 
host for one stage of apple rust or cedar- 
apple-fungus, which is very troublesome in 
some orchards. For further information 
regarding different species of evergreens 
and their characteristics, we refer the 
reader to Bulletin 90 of the Iowa Experi- 
ment Station, which may be obtained upon 
request. 
“Tf possible the windbreak should be 
started one or two years before the apple 
trees are planted. If the white pine is 
used it should be placed on the lee side, 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
using some more hardy variety, such as 
the Austrian pine, on the windward Side, 
The windbreak should not be planteg 
closer than 40 feet from the last row of 
apple trees. Many of our orchardists 
have made the serious mistake of planting 
evergreens close to the apple trees, and as 
a result the last row of fruit trees is over. 
shadowed and practically worthless.” 
The Windbreak for Idaho 
Where orchard sites are particularly 
exposed, windbreaks are especially advan- 
tageous. They stop the force of the wind 
so that the trees are allowed to attain 
their normal shape instead of having 
their limbs on the southwest and west 
sides forced to grow up through the cen- 
ter of the trees. They prevent the loss 
of apples which autunin winds shake 
down at a time when their value is great- 
est. They protect the buds of winter 
from drying out and losing their vitality. 
Evergreen 
Evergreen trees furnish ideal wind- 
breaks since the winds are broken at all 
seasons. Such barriers stop the sweep of 
winter winds as well as winds occurring 
during the growing season. The Norway 
spruce, because it possesses these qualifi- 
cations, is unsurpassed as a tree for wind- 
breaks. 
Lombardy 
The Lombardy poplar is used in some 
sections but its roots are so extensive and 
its tops afford protection for only part of 
the season. 
The windbreak should be planted in ad- 
vance of the apple trees in order that it 
may afford protection from the start. 
Spruces should be set ten feet apart with 
the rows at least 40 feet from the nearest 
apple trees. Since most of the strong 
winds of Idaho come from the west and 
southwest, a windbreak should occupy a 
position around the south and west sides 
of the orchard. In wind-swept places a 
bank of evergreens, made in this manner 
halfway around the orchard, should be re- 
garded as a necessary part of good or- 
charding. This wall of evergreen will 
also add a delightful variety to the land- 
scape in all seasons. 
J. R. SHINN, 
Moscow, Idaho. 
