Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1870-05-19
FARM AMI HOUSEHOLD.
Projecting Orchards.

As a general rule, fruits succeed better
in: a wooded country, when new and par
italy cleared, than elsewhere or ever al
terWard. This is probably owing to sew
eral different. causes but the principal
ones are scarcity of noxious insects, rich
ness of soil, and the protection received
rom the remaining forests. Without
wishing to depreciate the value of forests
as a protection to orchards and gardens,
still we cannot agree with some writer's
who have of late endeavored to SHOW that
they are the one thing needful to-make
our orchards once more productive, and
cause the fruit to grow without spot or
blemish. Even If, by restoring one-han
of the original forests, this could be ef-
fected, it would still be a doubtful policy,
inasmuch as the gain in one product must
necessarily cause a corresponding loss In
another.
In many sections of the Eastern States,
there is as much land devoted to wood as
is required to make the climate healthy and
leave a sufficient area for cultivation. In
prairie countries, there Is doubtless an &C.
tual deficiency of forests, and a certain
amount would be highly beneficial.
We fear, however, that many persons
believe that a narrow belt of trees will
answer the same purpose as a large forest.
But this is an error for the most that can
be expected of a few trees is to break the
| u VI bIO WIAOo1 VIII III III "
ests give out a great amount of heat dur
ing the coolest weather, and sensibly af'
feet the temperature of the air for miles
around.
Nov, we are ready to concede thai
every tree land evergreens n particular,
that is planted about q place gives out
certain amount of heat during the winter
and thereby contributes toward ~elevating
the temperature of the surrounding at
m~osphere. But the question arises " Gar
we add enough to be of any practica
) value ?"
:. In high, open situations, where thu
wind has full sweep, we believe protec
' ton to be highly beneficial, inasmuch al
7 it breaks the force of the wind, but doe
! not entirely prevent q free circulation
Every orchardist is aware hat late frost
seldom occur when there is considerable
/ motion to the atmosphere; and we FIRE
quently hear the remark: eff the wine
' keeps up we will have no frost to night
. but if it goes down look out for a freeze
And for this-reason a protection in local.
r ties where late spring frosts are common
: is usually more injurious than beneficial
v Then, again, trees that are protectet
e usually come forward more rapidly il
spring than those that are unprotected
consequently are Just in the proper condi
tion TO be severely injured.
e We believe that in many localities =
protection would be beneficial to our OF
v chards; but every man who attempts t.
erect one should study the climate frs
g and decide whether it will be 3 benefit o
injury before the first tree is planted. i
Evergreens are preferable to deciduoul
inasmuch as they afford a shelter at a tim
when most needed. No general rule ca
e be given that would be a safe guide IN a
localities for prevailing and injuriou
) storms come from different points in difel
ent portions of the country, and the IL
habitants in each are the best judges
their own wants and needs.-HeGrth IN