s crop of apples is light, but many
crosses show some fruit. Some pears and plums are loaded. Eugene Secor
says, "Patten is greater than Burbank."

* * * * *

WINDBREAKS ON FARM PAY DIVIDENDS.--Windbreaks are usually more
or less ornamental on a farm, and add to the contentment of the owner.
But it is not generally known that windbreaks actually pay dividends. At
least studies made a few years ago in Nebraska and Kansas indicate that
windbreaks are profitable. The state forester will soon study their
influence in this state. It must be admitted that windbreaks occupy
space that could be profitably devoted to agricultural crops, and that
the roots of the trees and their shade render a strip of ground on
either side of the windbreak relatively unproductive. Yet in spite of
these drawbacks, efficient windbreaks undoubtedly do more good than
evil.

The windbreak reduces the velocity of the wind, and, consequently, the
loss of soil water from evaporation from the soil surface and from the
field crops. This is equivalent to additional rainfall, just as "a
dollar saved is a dollar made." It seems from investigations made by the
United States Forest Service that the greater yield of field crops and
apples behind the protection of a good windbreak is enough to warrant
every farmer in the prairie states in planting windbreaks.--W.J.
Morrill, Colo. Agri. College.

MIDSUMMER REPORTS, 1916.

Collegeville Trial Station.

REV. JOHN B. KATZNER, SUPT.

The weather conditions of last winter were not any too favorable for
plants and fruit trees. In fact the cold was at times severe and long
continued, reaching its maximum with 38 degrees below for one day. The
total subzero weather for the winter amounts to 489 degrees, of which
January figures with 285 and February with 168 degrees below. This is
some cold, no doubt, and yet our hardy fruit trees did not suffer. But
other trees not quite hardy suffered more than usual. This is
particularly noticeable on my German pear seedlings. The wood of the
branches as well as of the stem had turned black down to the ground. All
the imported European varieties of pears are dead and ready for the
brush pile. Prof. N.E. Hanson's hybrid pears have suffered just a
little. This, however, may be due to the unripe condition of the wood
rather than to cold. They had been grafted on strong German pear stock,
made a vigorous growth and were still growing when the