Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-03-28

Mr.. r. K. Shepherd. who Is an ar
dent advocate of tree planting and
realizing the great value of trees
particularly as windbreaks in check
ing the loss of crops on this Project,
due to the high velocity and long
period of winds each spring, request
ed Professor f. G. Miller, Dean of
of the School of Forestry, University
of Idaho, to prepare an article on
wind-break planting for publication
in the papers on this Project, SO that
our people may know the great ad
protecting their fields in this man
ner. Mr.. Shepherd has enclosed
copy of the article, which reads as
follows:
Sections of South Idaho.
While windbreak planting has
been extensively practiced in other
parts of the country, notably in the
West, II has not had the attention in
the irrigated belts of South Idaho
that its Importance deserves. The
unusual fertility of the land here has
working against such planting, as
owners naturally are slow to give
up a small part of rich farm lands
to windbreaks, believing that their
a1 do hA I'm
portion to the amount of land in
trees. This, however, is a mistake.
for it has been found in regions
swept by high winds elsewhere, that
are increased If a portion of it is
adequately planted to windbreaks
What the Windbreak Does.
The windbreak reduces the evap-
more favorable temperature for crop
growth and checks the mechanical
force of the find. These influences
are seen in a zone to the leeward
ious causes, the width of the zone
favorably affected varies considera
bly,, but in general, ii is equal tc
about ten times the height of the
SO feet high will exert a favorable
influence on an area in its lee 500
feet wide. or practically 80 rods
Hence II within a given irrigation
,~osoot c~ooc Gold win dhraakc RIM
ming at right angles to the direction
OF the prevailing wind, were estab
lished every 80 or 40 rods. the entir'
project would be favorably affecte,
within very few years. and in tim
il would be afforded adequate protec
tion.
Evaporation of Soil Moisture.
Loss of soil moisture through evap
Grafton is almost directly proportion
al to wind velocity. Any obstruo
ton. therefore. that will check tn
velocity of the wind will reduce thi
loss. The cheapest obstruction Il
the long run is shield of growin
trees. 1t has been found that in III
lee of the most efficient windbreaks
, evaporation of moisture from tn
soil may be reduced as much as 6
. per cent, enough often to make tn
difference between a normal crop an
. partial or even total failure.
Influence on Temperature.
Measurements have been take
which show thai the temperature |
the lee of windbreak, in the grow
4 ing season, is several degrees highe
during the day than il is in the opel
!, 1t is cooler at night, but this di
advantage is more than offset
. the higher temperature of the da
n so that the total effect of the win'
!, break on temperature is favorable
n crop growth. This influence is e
. pecially noticeable in the case
n crops requiring hot weather for Il
best growth.
Again II has been noted that Il
/, damaging effects Of freezing wealth
on fruit blossoms is greatly lessen'
by the influence of windbreak
IN Throughout the state or Nebrasl
=. in 1908. the U. S. Forest Service T
:, ports that protected orchards III
M formly bore more heavily than tho
:, unprotected. the difference rangii
from a fraction of a bushel per tr
= for orchards in the open, to near
6ve bushels per tree for those e
joying full protection. The dana
was readily traceble to single stoi
9" of rain and snow, during which I
temperature dropped TO 2S degre
he Checking the Mechanical Force of
at Wind.
at The windbreak has beneficial
as fiuence on crops in protecting thu
ad against the mechanical force of
he wind. This influence is eXerted p
ter ticularly In breaking the force
IN wind storms, which are often so da