SHELTER.
BY REV. R. BURNET, LONDON, ONT.
Few situations are there but require shelter, either from the bleak and stormy winds of Winter, or from the bare and neglected look of a place without trees. A very little thought and planning would accomplish all that is wanted. Having matured a plan for ornamentation and shelter, the best way to carry it out is to do it piecemeal; continuous planting is much more satisfactory to the man of taste than making a rush at the work, and then leaving it very much to take care of itself. This continuous planting, too, commends itself to the pecuniary means of most people.
To a large extent the farmer and amateur gardener should be his own nurseryman. As a general rule, the trees that are most recommended and used for shelter are easily grown from seed; the requisite is to know the how of growing them. At Arkona, Mr. B. Gott, the orchardist, raises an erection about three feet from the ground and covers it with brush; the seeds are sown, spring up, and make a good growth even in the course of one season. Let them be transplanted in due time in some suitable spot, and all trees necessary for shelter are at hand.
Wind-breaks, either for shelter or ornamentation, are of great moment to the fruit grower, in fact almost essential. The one tree that stands out pre-eminently is the Norway spruce, (abies excelsa;) its hardiness, rapidity of growth, and ease of cultivation strongly recommend it; for a windy country, or where ice and snow are apt to injure the trees, the elasticity and strength of the branches render them safe from damage. Planted in rows for screens, eight feet apart is not too close.
Perhaps the Scotch and Austrian pine follow next, as the most valuable trees for shelter. Planted alternately they make a fine appearance; the former very dark in the foliage, and the latter a whitish green. They are both hardy, and afford a large amount of protection.
In Europe we have seen the Himalayan pine interspersed among other varieties with good effect.
For a hedge, nothing can equal the arbor vitæ, or white cedar; it forms a perfect wind-break and stands our Winters perfectly. The planting must be closely done, and if slightly pruned in the tips, the spray becomes intensely thick and impervious.
At our Winter meeting in Hamilton, Mr. Holton urged the planting of our common white pine—what might be called the pine of the country. It is one of the best trees for shelter, however you look at it; perfectly hardy, moderately quick in growth, acclimatized, and valuable for its timber. The same gentleman also mentioned the hardy black spruce.
In Essex, when recently there, and also in the county of Elgin, we saw the European larch planted as a wind-break; its growth is something wonderful, and the shelter perfect; although deciduous, the spray is so small and close that it cuts the wind, and makes a complete calm on the sheltered side. We might add perhaps, that this variety should be planted in the Fall.