Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 November 1876 — Protection of Fruit Trees. [ARTICLE]

Protection of Fruit Trees.

Ufa HtfaU writ*: Trees, jh winter, are lew hart by a low temperature than by the drying window which *ll coitl finowr winua are. Blowing sharply, they dry the branch** of the trees faster than the sap can supply them, the san being lessened by the freesing of the watery part, thus becoming incapable of resisting the deaicating effect, and so the branches of the tree dies. If the exposuns is short, there will be but little or no harm. It la the long-continued, severely cold, and strong winds that wort the mischief; and particularly if the roots as well as the branches are frosen. The past winter was a noted example. The remedy is to protect against the winds. A screen of evergreen trees oaa be made effectual. So s hill or wood will protect what is near it. on the side opposite wind. A building, also, is a. guard. But sometimes the sun is apt to hurt, and all the more for such protec lion, as it confines the beat. This it la difficult to prevent, but its effect is pot near so great as that of the cold strong winds. It is not enough to merely protect bo as to prevent destruction. The mere strain may bo so severe as to be felt the season following. So it is with strawberriea If severely ■trained by exposure, do what you may, there will bo a lack,—the plant will disappoint expectation. Grapevines serve us in the same way. Protect your strawberries well with evergreen brush, and make secure so that the wind cannot remove it, and you are safe, it matters not how severe the winds may be. So, if your half-tender arbor vitas hedge is protected from the frost, you need have no concern.

It becomes us not only to guard against the wind, but much can be done by attending to the ground, A mulch will lessen the severity of the frost, both in degrees and in the ground. This will cause a greater amount of vitality in the root which will be transmitted to the tree. A rich soil will also add vigor, affecting the whole plant. A mulch containing some manural property will do this and act at the same time as a protection, Naum indicates leaves as a warm bed of vegetation. A little sour milk, or What is, perhaps, more energetic, uriiib, with a sprinkling of ashes, applied some lime before the leaves, the ground freshly dug, is sure to have a good effect. It, in addition, there is a guard against the wind, there is littledanger with even halftender plants or trees, let the winter be as severe as it may. Almost the only danger will be from the sun, and that only in some localities. Sudden and extreme changes in the temperature have influence, but not a serious one, on anything like a plant or tree. There is a plan prevailing of wrapping halftender plants and bushes with straw and other material. This is well if not wrapped too tightly so as to exclude the air, for, it must be remembered, that plant growth goes on during the winter, though to but a slight extent, yet sufficient to require air, without which no plant can live, as it gels the principal support in this way.