The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-12-18

| go others to show the effects Of wind
breaks upon crop yields. To gage such
effects crops will have to be grown
on unit areas five or ten feet square In
protected and unprotected fields. BY
this means 1t will be determined in
pounds or bushels how far a wind
break adds to productivity.
Windhreaks and the Farm Home.
The main advantage sought from
windbreaks by farmers has been that
| Of protection to the farm home against
winter winds. In this field the new
experiments will be most thorough.
Prevailing winter winds will be OBJ
| served, the drifting Of snow about
yards and buildings, the circulation of
air in summer, the value Of windbreak
shelter for livestock, the effects on the
amount of fuel consumed and upon
the freezing of cellar supplies.
Again, the effects upon orchard will
be made q subject of study-the pre-
vention Of mechanical injuries to trees
or fruits, the prevention of frosts and
! winter-killing, the relation of the wind.
break to the development of fungi and
insect pests. and the effect to competi-
tion between windbreak and orchard
| trees. ..3'
Windhreaks and Country Roads.
A. very important problem involved
has to do with windbreaks and roads.
| Windbreaks must be so placed as to
prevent the drifting Of snow upon
roads to the leeward. and. caution
must be used to avoid muddy roads.
Bad roads are the bane of the Ameri-
can farmer. and in seeking the advan-
tages of the windbreak care must be
had not to shelter roads to the extent
4 4 - 4 crroI r1n11 uri1I he a ~ I'm nncCfhiI}-
ty in winter Of in wet seasons.
Still another problem to be- solved is
the effect of the windbreak upon. weed
CONTROL What weeds are distributed
by. the winds? Do windbreaks serve
as a barrier to such distribution or do
they serve as traps for flying seeds
and help to increase their pestiferous-
ness?
Farm Values Enhanced.
The influence of windbreaks upon
farm values, and the esthetic value of
trees to the farm home will be the
other subjects for consideration.
While the problem Of prairie forest
ry for fuel and farm lumber is Of Sec
ondary Importance in western Mime
sofa, 1t will not be neglected. Wind
breaks, properly developed and used,
may yield the farmer cordwood, fence
posts, repair material. rough lumber,
and nuts. Thus a careful selection of
the kinds Of trees and attention to
their growth may become sources OF
very considerable profit directly.
OF course. in n event, a study Of
the characteristics of different trees
will have to be made, to determine
which species will thrive best in prai-
| RE conditions. Observations among
lplantings already in will help in some
degree here, but experimental plant
ings will also be made, SO hat the
profile mmay be approached from ev-
cry angle.
Morris School as Test Center.
The agricultural school at Morris
| will be the central testing station in
this campaign Of experiment. 1t offers
itself readily to- experiments tic show
what windbreaks can do for protection
both for the farm home and for the
farm field and crops. Moreover. here
will be established nurseries to pro-
vide trees for experiments on various
farms whose owners are willing to
G. cooperate with the chief experiment.
er, Mr.. Wilson, and with the West
Central Development association,
which is deeply interested in the
movement.
The whole purpose OF the extensive
experiments and study planned LIS to
put prairie forestry as applied to west
central Minnesota ina soundly scien-
tific basis. In the end. it is felt, the
work will. add to the profit and salts
faction OF farming throughout the re.