Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-12-12
Winter Protection.
BY c. 3. WALDRoN, H%ortlcuI-
turist, North Dakota AericuI.
turaI College.

turaI College.
j. !
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While climate definitely and speci
acally determines the range within
which certain fruits can be grown, vet
once within that possible range sue
cess or failure depends very largely
upon the condition of the soil, in fac
to a much greater extent than Is gen
orally thought possible. Varieties
once thought to be tender in the Mid
die West are now found to be hardy
enough if the proper method of tillage
is observed. Trees grown in dry shall
low soil winter kill, but not necessar
lily because of the cold. In fact the
most trying winters upon trees and
shrubs, at this station, have been the
mildest and the ability of the plants
to endure such winters rests largely
upon the treatment given the previous
season.
The cause of the winter killing in
mild winters is due to a drying up of
the twigs, so that in the spring there
is not enough moisture left in the
plant to enable it to renew the life
processes. Some plants resist this
evaporation better than others and
are valuable on that account, while
on the other hand some species that
Will survive the most intense cold
have been observed to kill badly in
mild but trying winters, the branches
being so light and dry in the spring
as to fairly rattle when handled.
The protection afforded woody
plants In winter is valuable chiefly in
preventing evaporation, as the degree
Of cold could not be largely affected.
Aside from protecting the plant,
what can be done to lessen the dry
Ing up of the twigs? Since there is
such a fatal tendency for woody plants
to give up their moisture during the
winter months, one would naturally in
fer that such treatment. as would en-
able plants to begin the period of rest
with the maximum quantity of mois-
ture would be the best. This is en-
p~hatically true. Trees and shrubs
that are neglected during the latter
part Of the season so that the ground
becomes hard and dry, ripen their
wood prematurely, and unless fall
rains are abundant, the drying pro-
cess sets in before winter begins,
leaving the plant in poor shape to en-
dure drying. Moreover the roots
which should have had the
ment OF a loose, moist soil until the
end OF the season, that a large num-
Der of new an active roots might de-
velop, have been practically at a
standstill. The root hairs which live
but a short time and need constantly
to be renewed are not in existence and
the young roots themselves become
dry and inactive. A plant beginning
the winter in this condition can make
but a feeble start in the spring at the
best and not many experiences of the
kind are required to make the result
fatal. Compare the big firm buds on
the twig of a tree that has had the
advantage of a deep moist soil and
good cultivation to the end of the
season with the thin soft buds found
on a tree growing in hard dry soil
and that has, on that account, ripened
It's wood prematurely. These buds
are next seasons branches and con-
tain the next crop of fruit and their
vigor or weakness is a matter of
greatest Importance.
Fruit buds of many plants do not
form till toward the close of the grow
ing season and then not at all if the
cultivation be lacking or bad.
In general, then, that fruit plants
may thrive, set fruit buds and endure
the winters, give them deep soil nat
urally mellow and moist and cultivo-,
it from the beginning till the end If
the season. There is occasionally
something said about stopping cult
walton In August, so that the plants
may have opportunity to ripen I'D
their WOOD for winter. There may 80
regions where this is good advice, 1T
our experience and observation haze
led us to just the opposite conclus:, I
and practice for the Northwest. VIII n
winter once begins to settle down 3D.
on the lard in North Dakota, ever ~
trees have sense enough to detect IT.,
and the suddenness and completeness
with which they close up their sun
mer affairs and get into winter attire
suggests that they need no aid from
us in the matter. Indeed some of the
plants that defer this change the
longest, like the buffalo berry and IL
lac, are among the hardest we have.
Another matter of recognized i'm
portance among successful horticul-
turists is that of providing some cover
tor the soil in winter, to prevent root
killing. In summer the best cover for
soil, all things considered, is a shall
low layer of the soil itself, kept loose
and mellow by constant cultivation. AS
winter comes on this becomes com
pact and frozen affording no further
protection. Unless covered with snow
the ground % becomes very dry
and cracks open, allowing the roots to
dry out and subjecting them also to
an unusual and unnecessary degree of
cold. BY covering the ground with a
LIGHT Ia yor NJ ctrou, ~ ~ c;,,;1on -.4.