Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-03-28
Tree Planting Would Help Farmers

chard of Ben Davis apple trees. Be-
fore the storm each tree contained
three boxes of apples. After the
storm he had less than two apples
per tree by actual co1nt His neigh
Dor, Mr.. B, just across the road
had an orchard of the same variety,
carrying about the same amount of
apples per tree before the storm.
But BIS orchards was protected by
fair windbreak of maple trees, which
saved fully one-half or his crop.
Mr.. c. G. Bates of the U. S. For
est Service reports another case in
point from southern Minnesota "A
windbreak. eighty rods lon
and about 28 feet high along the
side of a corn field, afforded com
plete protection for a strip about 10
rods wide during wind blowing at
SO miles per hour. On the unpro-
tected part of the field the wind blew
down half the corn and bent the re-
mainder halfway, the damage begin
ming at the edge of the ten rod strip
and increasing until it was greatest
in that part of the field fartherest
from the windbreak. The corn was
in the milk stage at the time of the
high wind and did not produce more
than third of a crop on the damag-
ed area. On the protected portion
the total saving was 260 bushels, or
the full crop of acres. whereas the
windbreak occupied only 2 acres"
The total effect of the windbreak
then is generally favorable to plant
growth which is manifested by in
creased crop production in the zone
favorably Influenced. Innumerable
examples In addition to those given
might be cited to show this, but
shall mention but one more. The U.
S. Forest Service reports that in
1908, a crop of corn in Nebraska
was garown to the leeward side of a
dense windbreak of hardwoods So
feet high. In the latter part of June
the average height of the corn in
! the first IS rows was 4 y feet Be-
yond this point, the average height
J
: corn at maximum protection, yield
| ed SO bushels per acre, as against
? Al bushels per acre beyond the in
J fuence of the windbreak, or a diff
erence of is bushels per acre. The
! increased yield at $50 feet from the
windbreak. or ten times its height.
4 was bushels per acre. The aver
- age gain on this strip was 9.22 bush
e els per acre, which at so cents pei
1 buhels, the prevailing price that year
e equals s4.61 per acre.
= The favorable influence eXerted
by windbreaks is by no means lin
tied TO fruit and corn. as similar in
- creases have been noted for othei
r crops including small grain and hay
= 1t should be said that there is som'
e loss to crops near the trees due I,
s shading and sapping of the SOIL bu
n this loss in regions subject to higl
e winds, is far more than Offset by th
e added production farther out Al
;. falfa suffers very little next to- tn
g trees, since it bears considerabl
: shading, and on account of its dee
e roofing habit, is able to draw mois
a ture from the subsoil. or course. tn
rental value of the ground occupie
by the trees must be taken into &C
n count. but the value of the materia
n for posts, fuel, and other purpose
e will amply take care of this.
sr 1t is of interest to note that wind
n. breaks are also of great value /
~ the protection of crops from blow
,. ing and shifting sands. In many pla'
d. es. they are found TO be valuable
to reducing evaporation from open re-
s ervoirs. as we'll as from irrigate
Of fields, especially where the land
ne flooded.
In addition to giving the benef
he already mentioned. windbreaks n
er ford protection to livestock. ad
cd pleasure and comfort to the HON
IS. always make the landscape more a
ka tractive, and actually increase Il
e sale value of the farm.
,i- What to Plant.
se The efficiency of windbreak
ng dependent upon density, height al
ee up to a certain point. upon widt
'ly For quick results and efficiency,
n ideal windbreak consists of four ROY
ge of some one of the cottonwoocs
rm from the center. with a single row
he evergreen trees on either side, ma
he wood will give quick results
height. and the evergreens will fl
in nish effective protection at I
EN- ground The trees should be plai
he ed four feet apart each way. A
ar one of several cottonwoods would
of suitable. Those suggested are Ba
M of Gilead, lombardy poplar. Ca