It will often be found that it is a good thing to throw a sort of screen or protecting wall of trees or shrubs around all or part of a place as a shelter against wind or frost. In fact, in many locations on large rivers or the sea it is well-nigh impossible to grow anything without some such screen.

As a general thing I do not like straight rows of trees or shrubs in an informal garden scheme for the reason that they look too artificial. If one wants to make a wind break, or to separate a part of his grounds from the rest or from his neighbor's it seems to me far better to plant an irregular border. This may consist of lofty growing trees, shrubs and even herbaceous plants so arranged that when grown he will have an irregular sky line, a variety of form and colors. Where one is merely separating one part of his land from the rest a low screen may be planted consisting of shrubs and small growing plants.

For a wind break it is necessary in exposed places to use trees which are practically evergreen and quite wind resistant, and as yet we have, perhaps, not had sufficient experience in Florida to make the best selection of species. The Australian pine, Casuarina equisetifolia, is a native of the Oriental littoral region of the tropics. It is one of the most rapid growing trees known; it stands the salt air remarkably well, it is fairly wind resistant. It is probable that all the date palms will work in finely for wind breaks and that they will stand salt air, and this is likely true of the Inodes and most of the Cocos. Our own cabbage palmetto does excellently in the most exposed situations, even fronting onto the sea. The live oak will only resist salt spray moderately well and where it is too much exposed its foliage is likely to be scorched on the seaward side. Some of the bamboos work in finely in mixed wind breaks but, so far as my experience goes, their leaves do not stand salt air well. One of the finest things for a wind break in the lower part of the state is the rose apple, Eugenia jambos. It has long, glossy, evergreen leaves which are a rich red or purple when young, the growth is compact and bends readily before the wind. It has lovely creamy blossoms and pleasantly flavored fruit. I doubt whether it would stand salt air. On the sheltered side of a mixed wind break vines might be planted and the whole might be made to have such an ornamental appearance that no one would suppose it was other than a piece of decorative planting.

The oleanders, the privets, Ligustrum spp., Laurocerasus caro-liniana, or Carolina cherry, the two Raphiolepis, R. ovata and R. indica, the Pittosporums, Gordonia, two or three of the hollies and a number of other trees and shrubs are suitable for such work and are hardy throughout the state.

If one must plant formal hedges the privets are fine evergreens for such work and are hardy anywhere within our limits; so is the dwarf tree box (Buxus). The common sweet myrtle and some of the climbing roses can be pruned so as to form a fine hedge. In the more tropical part of the state the various species of Carissa make beautiful hedges, as do the Phyllanthus of the nivosus type. I have no doubt that Catesbaea, Tabernaemon-tana, some of the Ixoras, Duranta, some of the Jasmines and Gardenia would stand shearing well. The Acalyphas and Chinese Hibiscus are considerably used for hedges in this region. And I would suggest that any of the following would be likely to do well as hedge plants or to work into wind breaks: Eugenia uniflora, Thea viridis, Bambusa disticha, Triphasic trifoliata and several of the Pandanus.

It should be remembered that dead air fills open spaces that are left among plantings of trees and shrubs, and that this air becomes very cold during a norther, so that in such spaces frost is more likely to occur than in more exposed places. Any open space on the north or west of a close wall of vegetation is peculiarly subject to frost, for the reason that the cold air is driven in and lodges.