Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-08-19
ABOUT Mlnn.aREAks.
Matter OF Great Interest TO the Farm.
crs ~ Inc Nortkwestefn states.

A Matter Of Great Interest 20 the Farm.
crs ~ Inc Nortkwsstsfn states.
Our public roads are on the section
lines, these lines 81 Junction, with only
very rare exceptions, being north and
south for two sides Of each section,
and east and west fof the other two
sides.
About dozen years ago few oi
the pioneer settlers who came from 10.
calitlcs whore the white willow was
grown, aud US talde appFeciatedi a:
in BufeoH County, H.; and places far.
thor east, finding the country to be
rqther WINDY .at times, conceived the
idea of protecting tr6vel on Tho public
roads by willow wind-breaks. Such
practice Of few men soon led to the
setting out of willow wind-breaks in a
few settlements scattered through IL
linois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
Nebraska aud elsewhere,
Since snowy winters hher prevailed,
the wind-bfeaks In many sections be-
ing from twenty TO- thirty feet. high,
and close al The bottom, huge drifts Of
snow from f-u % ten feet high block
the roads, making travel impracticable;
and crossroads and trcspassing
through the fields (much damaging
the land in many lnstanees) are una
voidablr, After thawlhs Nehthef sets
in, these fd9ds are Occupied with Al;
ternate m0d hbles ahd owbanks till
weeks after the newly wiro-fenced
roads and others not having wind.
breaks are dry and fit for travel.
IL is evident then that to make the
roads passabls w Mihtef shd sptinFi
these wind-brcak row Of willow trees
the poles are, in truth. trees from
three TO six inches in diameter must
be cut down and moved away. In fact
this has already hpeh hbhe, The p6lest
being used for iuci in several cases. II
would be a great mistake to destroy all
these thrifty and handsome lines of
trees Instead OF cutting them oil
down, let one or two to 4 fbd-tha
most erect and best formed ones-re-
main growing, and use them for line
fence posts, for fastening one or two
wires to, ds may be desired to prevent
trcspass BY teams Of etock. These
rows Of trees, already from twenty to
forty feet in height may form beauti-
ful avenues where there are rows on
each side of the roads, and being kept
trimmed eight OF ten feet from the
ground tip under the heads, can not
obstruct the winds that drive the SNOW;
or cause snow-drifts to lodge In the
highways.
Wind-brcaks or trec-rows on the
south side of roads, have in some cases
kept the roads wet and muddy by shad-
ing them too much, and mainly by
obstructirg tho fec sweep Of the
winds ovef the roads But When 6hB
or more roadside trcc-rows are kept
trimmed ten feet up, the wind will be
free to blow across the roads under the
trees. drying them rapidly after rains.
If it is thought netessary 10 Kill cut
the roots of the old willow rows be-
tween the fine trees which are left, to
give life and beauty TO the landscape.
thick mulching with litter to within
two feet OF the growing trees will
smother or prevent aiiy tduiig shoots
growing up in these spaces to obstruct
the sweeping winds. This mulch
should be kept on till no more signs Of
growth protrudc upward from the old
roots of the former wind-break.-J w.
Clarke, iH Country Gentleman
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