Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-27
Trees for Windbreaks.

trees are nValuaDie Tor wlndDreakS In the
west, where destructive storms Of wind will
frequently ruin thousands of acres of cultivated
fields. In the east they can be utilized for
windbreaks and for other purposes. Some of
the tender fruits, such as the peaches. plums
and apricots, thrive much better if q thick row
Of trees protect them on the north. During
the cold winter months they suffer from the
severe freezing spells and biting winds, and
when spring opens it takes some time for them
to recover and send forth their leaves and bios
SONS. Often the season is too short for them
They do not get an early start and frost is
here again before their fruits are matured.
THE NORWAY SPRUCE
probably stands first as useful tree for this
purpose. The young trees can be purchased at
low rates by the thousand, and their growth is
so rapid that they make efficient screens for
protection. When planted ON small plantations
they serve as good timber forests as well as
projections from high winds The trees do not
hold very high positions Oh the market on &C.
count Of their knotty appearances; but by close
planting the formation of knots may be pre-
vented. The trees will run up tall and straight,
and give more timber to the acre than when
planted in any other way.
THE WILLOW
is almost as good as the Norway spruce for pro-
tective purposes, and it is used largely in the
west for this purpose. Nearly all of the varie-
ties of the willow are easily propagated by cut
tings, and large plantations may be made
readily on cheap land. The timber of this
tree, too, is becoming valuable, and large
quantities OF it are being used for the bottoms
of carts and wagons for carrying stones and
other rough things. There is no doubt that if
these two kinds OF trees were planted abund-
antly over the whole face of the country in the
form OF belts or screens they would prove of
great value in partly checking the high winds
and in increasing the productiveness Of certain
kinds OF fruit. GEO. WILSON.
The HeliotrOpe.
Heliotrope is a favorite flower with all. and
its fragrance is so sweet and soothing that no
flower garden is complete without it. 1t 10 al
ways suitable for bouquet making and for cor
sage wear, and plant growers usually find
ready market for ii. II is easily cultivated in
the garden or in pots. All that it requires is
good soil with plenty Of plant foot in 1t and a
sunny exposure. II planted in o poor, dry
soil or put in the shade of some larger plant,
the hehotropes are never satisfactory. The
finer varieties will have their foliage attacked
b. rust if shut out from the sun light, and the
only preventative is to expose them freely to
the open air and sun. The queen of violets Is
the darkest and handscmest variety, but unless
properly treated its leaves are always covered
with rust, spelling its beauty and appearance
POT CULTURE OF THE HELroTRoPE
is as simple as the garden culture Of it Make
your soil rich, composed Of equal parts Of
sandy loan and rotted manure, and stick
newly-rooted cutting in H. With q medium
temperature it will Immediately grow up rap
idly. Pinch out the point Of the shoot vhsn, 10
begins to reach three or four inches In height.
This will reduce branching and make the roots
spread in the pot In time the roots will get
so numerous and branching that the plant viii
have TO be removed to a larger pot 1t will re-
quire large pot, SO that its wide-spreading
roots can have plenty Of room. After remoy-
ing the plant to its permanent home pinch
back the points of the shoots again TO induce
more branching. Then expose the pot TO
sunny position, and each point ought 70 pro-
duce cluster of good flowers. An occasional
application Of liquid manure viii keep the soil
rich and give the flowers greater vigor aud
beauty. HELEN WaAaSUnDoH,