664 STATE HOETICULTURAL SOCIETY 
stroyed by it. Why one tree is hardy, and another not, has never been 
satisfactory explained, for while the wood of the oak and the orange are of 
similar texture, one stands unharmed by the severest cold, and the other is 
destroyed by slight freezing. 
Without going into an examination of the minor causes of injury to our 
orchards, I present these two, viz. : immature growth, and excessive, long 
continued cold, as the principal causes of failure. What, then, are the rem¬ 
edies to counteract, in a measure, these fatal influences ? For the first, 
timely and judicious cultivation. Entire neglect of culture would be a certain 
preventive of late growth; but we thereby render our orchards more liable 
to be destroyed by severe freezing; for a tree must have a certain amount 
of vitality and vigor to withstand the severe cold of our winters. No doubt, 
many of our young orchards have been injured by too much cultivation, ex¬ 
tending throughout the entire season; while on the other hand, want of care 
and cultivation has ruined many more. Orehards, especially while young, 
should be cultivated, but that cultivation should be given early in the season, 
not extending into the period of second growth. By this means the trees 
are kept healthy and vigorous, and excessive stimulation is avoided. Re¬ 
tarding the growth by pinching is also beneficial. 
For the second—excessive cold—I a.nhvrQv protection. I am well aware that 
in advocating shelter and protection for orchards, I am opposing the often ex¬ 
pressed opinions of some, that we should plant where they are exposed to 
to the winds from the cold quarter. 
The necessity for protection, has been recognized and repeatedly urged as 
an important auxilliary, in the protection of fruit, not only in this country, 
but throughout Europe, where the climate is milder and less subject to ex- 
treams of heat and cold. Never before have the advantages and the nece¬ 
ssity of protection ever been called in question. In the Middle and Eastern 
States, it is said to be much more difficult to grow fruit now than formerly, 
and the chief reason assigned for this change is, the destruction of forests, 
which once gave protection to their orchards. 
It is very singular that here where the necessity for protection is far 
greater than at the East, from the fact that we are subject to greater ex¬ 
tremes of heat and cold, and an almost unlimited sweep of the winds; a 
practice so entirely at variance with all former experience should have found 
advocates. Unless we deny that the dry winds of summer, or the cutting 
blasts of winter result in injury, it is difficult to see how such theory could 
find supporters. If a certain degree of cold will produce injury, or health to 
a tree, its liability to injury will be increased if the cold is accompanied by 
a strong wind. The object of shelter is to arrest the drying currents, and 
modify the debilitating effects of injurious eraporation whether produced by 
heat or cold. If it is true that protection is unnecessary, then our large 
open prairies are just the place for fruit growing, and the heavily timbered 
portions of our state are unfit for that purpose. Does not all experience 
teach us to the contrary ? We need shelter from the hot, drying winds of 
