WIND-BREAKS 



145 



from the surface of the soil, tending to mitigate 

 drought in summer and root injury in winter. * * * 

 13. It can be made an ornament. ?? To these three 

 a fourth may be added : A good wind-break along 

 the east, side of the orchard modifies the warm rays 

 of morning sunshine, allowing a frosted tree to 

 thaw slowly and avoids checking and splitting of 

 bark that follows when the sun shines directly upon 

 injured parts. 



As protection from cold, a wind-break has doubt- 

 ful utility, its value being only during freezes, as 

 distinguished from frosts. In frosty weather the 

 effect is to lower temperature around it by holding 

 cold surface air in check. The fig not being grown 

 in latitudes where there is extreme cold, during 

 wind storms it is not beneficial. Where raised on a 

 commercial scale injurious freezes are infrequent; 

 there having been but seven, since 1860, along the 

 Gulf Coast. When the infrequency of cold weath- 

 er is considered, although they retard falling tem- 

 peratures a few degrees, it should be remembered 

 how detrimental they may become as harbors for 

 insect pests, and fungi, and the habit of the trees in 

 making sizable new wood to which the fruit is di- 

 rectly attached, abbreviates their principal general 

 use. Limbs a month old are often three-eighths of 

 an inch in diameter, and well able to sustain 

 foliage and crop. There are no fruit spurs, for each 

 fig is attached to a limb at the axil of a leaf. If 

 not too ripe for preserving no wind will whip it off 



