The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-02
VALUE OF wINDBREAKS.
They Reduce Evaporation, Hinder the
Blowing of Top Soil.

That the farm windbreak will more
than pay for the use of the land it occu-
pies and saps by incr oased returns from
the shelter crops and by the value of the
wood produced is indicated by studies
made by specialists of the forest service
of the United States department of ag-
riculture. The results of these studies
are reported in recent publication of
the department, farmers bulletin No.
1888, "The Windbreak as Farm Asset"
The value of windbreak is measured
by its impenetrability Ordinarily it
does not provide an absolute barrier to
the wind, but only greatly reduces the
velocity of the air currents. To in
crease the effectiveness of the breaks
several rows of low growing trees and
shrubs often are planted parallel to the
main planting. Windbreaks serve useful
purposes both when used to protect
growing crops and farm buildings.
A Protection to Crops.
When used as protection for grow
ing crops windbreaks reduce evaporation,
hinder the movement of top soil, and
prevent physical injury to the crops.
They also operate to bring about high
er temperature in the protected area dur
ing the day, an effect due largely to the
reduction of evaporation. OF these func.
tions, the saving of moisture is the most
important, since anything which helps
to make additional moisture available
to crops is, under normal conditions,
direct benefit TO the farmer.
Windbreaks also tend, however, to af.
feet crops adversely to certain extent
The roots of the trees spread under the
nearest plants of the adjoining crops and
sap from them moisture and plant food
By shading the ground the breaks also
may prevent the crops in the shaded
area from developing properly. Whether
the total effect of the windbreak is good
or bad depends upon whether the bene-
fits derived from its influence on wind
temperature, and evaporation
are greater or less than the injury re-
sulting from the sapping and shading
Of the ground near by.
Taking all these factors into consider |
alton, the specialists of the department |
have reached the conclusion from their |
studies that with ordinary field crops |
The farmer may count on benefit from |
windbreak protection which viii make |
The loss of the area occupied by the
.rees negligible. Under middle western
conditions a windbreak whose width does
not exceed two or three times its height
will more than pay for itself, regardless
If the timber which 1t may produce.
Farther east the same kind of influence
md benefit will exist, though in a less
marked degree, and a greater direct
eturn may be expected from the grow
ng the timber for its own value, so that
he need of even a slight amount OF
should make windbreak plant
ng attractive. The saving with corn
vas especially marked, the investigators
ound.
About farm homes the principal func-
ion of windbresks is to promote the
omfort of the farm family. By cut
ing off the unrestricted sweep of win
err winds the breaks make the heating
( the buildings easier and therefore less
expensive.
Planting windbreaks.
In any region the windbreak should
e so laid out as to offer the greatest
to damaging winds and to
rotect the greatest area. This simply
leans having the belt or row at right
ngles to the prevailing winds. The
ind of trees to plant should be deter
lined by the moisture and other climatic
,nditions. Under the respective condi-
ons favoring their growth the follow
e varieties of trees or shrubs have been
,und useful in the construction of wind
-eaks: Cottonwood, mulberry, Usage !
-ange, green ash, locust, Scotch and