Evening star., 1936-05-31
TREE-BELT, GREAT VISION
OF NEW DEAL, SACRIFICED
Lawmakers Frown OH S75,OOO,OOO Proj-
ect to Reforest Wide Area Despite
Contention of Its Permanent Value.

, planting season. beginning in March In
Texas and Oklahoma, and extending
into June in the Dakotas, l25 miles
of such shelterbelt strips aggregating
2,502 acres we're planted on 273 farms
in the six States, 1.778. .125 young trees
being set out. In addition, STAB acres
of 'farmstead paintings" were made
on 1888 farms in North Dakota,
South Dakota. Nebraska and Kansas,
using 3,716.0O0 trees. The farmstead
paintings, which we're fitted into the
program, are planned to provide wind
breaks for dwellings, schools and other
buildings.
Twenty nurseries in the six States,
containing 644 acres, were leased for
the growing of stock for 1886. With
40 0.000, 900 of these seedlings surviving
and an additional allotment Of 81 ,900,-
600 provided for the work, the
Forest Service undertook the planting
of an additional 1,424 miles of the
shelterbelt strips this year. That work
is expected to be completed before
the program goes into liquidation
July /.
Outline OF Purpose.
DR.. Raphael Zon, director Of the
Lake States Forest Experiment Station,
who was put in charge of the techni-
cal phases of the shelterbelt project,
attempted in Science to dispel erron-
eous conceptions about the plan thus:
"The main purpose of planting
shelterbelts is to provide protection
to farmsteads, agricultural crops and
cattle against the hot desiccating
winds of Summer and the cold bliz-
yards of Winter. The greatest bene-
fit of shelterbelt planting may be ex-
pected when it is superimposed on
an already existing agricultural
economy as is found within the pro-
posed belt. This, on the whole, Is a
region of fertile prairie soils which,
with normal rainfall, is an important
part of the granary of the United
States. Shelterbelts should help to
stabilize this agriculture and leave
it less at the mercy of the elements.
whether shelterbelt planting, If
| carried out on a sufficiently large
scale, will ultimately affect the cli-
mate over wide territory Is at pres
ent of purely academic interest, and
proof of such an effect Is not nee
essary to justify shelterbelt plant
ing. There is ample evidence, sup
ported both by scientific records and
everyday experiences, that shelter
belts have a local effect in reducing
the wind velocity. i.
This mechanical retardation of
wind movement is responsible for a
whole series of effects. 1t lessons
evaporation from the soil Immediately
adjoining the shelterbelts, reduces the
Transportation of crops growing under
the protection Of the trees, prevents
blowing of soil and keeps snow from
being blown off the fields into gullies. +"
The fencing of the shelterbelts to
keep live stock away from the young
trees, major item of Cost, and the
preparation of the ground for plant
ing were emphasized from the be-
ginning as major source of employ
ment.
In the survey of the shelterbelt
zone, which contains 73,402, 900 acres,
the experts found that 41,028, 900, or
Sc per cent, were favorable for plant
ing the trees selected, chiefly varieties
native to the locality or which had
been proved adaptable and drought
resistant. Among these acres, i 1,2S2,-
l20 were selected for shelterbelts.