Montana farmer-stockman. [volume], December 01, 1951, Image 1

About Montana farmer-stockman. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1947-1993

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
OF MONTANA
"■ HELENA
December 1, 1951
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Shelterbelts Pay Their Way
Your Trees Will Pay Out in Beauty ? Comfort
And Savings in Fuel ? Feed and Moisture
By HAROLD R. LELLILID
<<TN AN effort to determine the value of
J. windbreaks on American farms, 508
farmers in South Dakota and Nebraska
Were asked for their opinions. They placed
the annual savings in their fuel bill at
$15.85.
"Further study of the subject was made
at the Montana Agricultural Experiment
station at Havre. Two herds of cattle were
wintered on the same rations—one in the
protection of trees and shrubs, the other in
an open lot with some protection from a
shed. The tree-protected animals gained
34.9 more pounds each during a mild winter,
and lost 10.6 pounds less during a severe
winter, than the unprotected herd.
These reports on the value of shelter
belts are quoted from the USDA yearbook
of agriculture.
Conserve Moisture
Shelterbelts are a decided factor in con
serving moisture. Snow falling in fields pro
tected by shelterbelts remains in place, in
stead of piling up along some fence row or
other barrier where the resulting moisture
is not needed. Also, the trees and shrubs in
the shelterbelt catch the drifting snow and
hold it within the belt. The added moisture
is of great benefit to the shelterbelt in the
dry summer months. The fields in the pro
tection of the belt suffer much less from
drying winds.
Tree planting for shelterbelts in Montana
has become a business—good business for
farmers and ranchers. Up to the present
time about 15,000 acres of shelterbelts have
been established. Each year forest nursery
at Montana State university processes from
1,000 to 15,000 separate orders for planting
INSET: A thrifty, well-cultivated shelterbelt in
Roosevelt county.
BELOW: Aerial view of a good shelterbelt in Judith
Basin county.
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COVERS
MONTANA
AND
NORTHERN
WYOMING
Orders for trees must be in the hands
of your county ageht before Dec. 31 to in
sure delivery in the spring. No orders
should be sent directly to the nursery.
Trees are furnished at less than cost to the
purchaser, and all species are the same
price—$2.50 per hundred.
stock, to be distributed throughout the
state.
Another Crop
The shelterbelt should be considered as
another crop, the cash receipts being re
flected in the increased income from Other
crops grown in its protection. The family
garden and orchard can become a place
of beauty and production instead of a place
where man and climate battle for posses
sion of that row of carrots or box of apples.
But, like these other crops, an efficient
shelterbelt requires good planning and
maintenance.
The shelterbelt should protect fields or
buildings, preferably on two sides, depend
ing upon the direction of the prevailing
winds. The belt should be long enough to
extend beyond the limits of the area or
buildings to be protected and should be
dense enough to give good protection from
winds and drifting snow.
The belt should consist of from five to
eight rows of trees and shrubs, each spaced
from 10 to 16 feet apart. Spacing within the
rows should be 3 or 4 feet for the shrubs,
and from 6 to 8 feet for the trees.
An effective shelterbelt consists of
shrubs, medium and tall trees and ever
greens; the latter being placed on the down
wind side of the belt to insure better sur
vival. Where the shelterbelt is planted
around the farm buildings, -the conifers in
the inside row are a thing of beauty, as well
as being utilitarian.
Ground Preparation
Ground preparation is one of the most
important steps in the establishment of a
shelterbelt. In the dryland areas of the
state, the recommended procedure is to
summer-fallow at least one year before
planting. Trees have been planted directly
in grain stubble, but this has not been very
successful. The moisture conserved by
summer-fallowing far outweighs the con
venience of direct planting in stubble.
The area should be fenced from the time
the trees are planted and kept in good re
pair. Livestock can do heavy damage to
the shelterbelt by browsing on the lower
branches and shrubs and by compacting
the soil to prevent passage of water to the
roots. ;
Planting the young trees is an important
procedure. Failure to observe care in plant
ing is the cause of most nonsurvivaL The
soil should be wet enough to insure ade
quate moisture, yet dry enough so that cak
ing or clodding will not take place when
the soil is worked.
The process of digging and root-pruning
is quite a shock to these young plants. This
can be minimized by keeping the roots wet
until planted. Broadleaf trees can withstand
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