38 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



every year, but not enough to disfigure the hedge. This may be grown either from 

 seed or cuttings. 



4. Norway Spruce. Picea excelsa. — This hedge was planted in 1889, with young trees 

 from 15 to 18 inches high, it now averages 4 feet 6 inches in height, with a width near 

 its base equal to its height. It is very compact and handsome, forming a solid mass of 

 green all through the year. This tree is grown from seed, but is of slow growth, young 

 trees requiring 3 to 4 years to attain a height of 15 to 18 inches. Suitable young trees 

 of this species can usually be obtained from nurserymen at reasonable prices. 



5. Honey Locust. Gleditschia triacanthos. — Planted in 1889, height 4 feet 3 

 inches, width near base 4 feet. This tree has a beautiful fern-like foliage, but it is too 

 tender for hedges for the Ottawa district. Trees planted singly are occasionally found 

 to be quite hardy, but in hedges they kill out more or less, making the hedge irregular 

 and unsightly. This tree is also a very strong grower and hence requires more frequent 

 clipping to keep it in shape than most others, which makes it less desirable for this 

 purpose. It is quite hardy in Western Ontario, where it is being used in some localities 

 to a considerable extent for farm hedges. Its rapid growth makes it very unsuitable 

 for this purpose, as the cost of labour required to keep a hedge of honey locust in good 

 shape would be much more than the price of ordinary fencing, and if neglected each 

 specimen struggles to become a tree, the more vigorous rapidly outgrow and smother the 

 weaker ones, and the plantation soon becomes unsightly. 



6. White Spruce. Picea alba. — This native evergreen makes one of the most desir- 

 able of all evergreen hedges. Planted in 1889, present height 3 feet 3 inches, width near 

 base 3 feet 3 inches. This hedge is very compact and handsome, is not quite so rapid in 

 growth as the Norway spruce, but is more dense in its compactness and makes a wall of 

 constant greenness, and requires less clipping to keep it in order. In form it is beauti- 

 fully regular. In many localities young trees may be found in abundance in the woods. 

 If these are used, they should not be more than 12 to 18 inches high when transplanted, 

 and would be better if put into nursery rows in garden soil for a year, removing at the 

 end of that time into hedge row those specimens which have become established, and 

 are fairly even in height and bushiness. The young trees may also be raised from seed, 

 but like the Norway spruce, they make slow growth ; they may be bought ready for 

 planting from the nurseryman. 



7. Common Barberry. — Berberis vulgaris. Planted in 1889, present height 4 feet 

 3 inches, width near base 4 feet. The common barberry makes a thrifty hedge, of a 

 compact and regular form, and from its habit of sending up new shoots every year from 

 the base it becomes after a time so thick as to be almost impenetrable, the foliage is 

 dark green, the leaves small, nearly round and finely serrated. The flowers are 

 small, greenish yellow and in long clusters, and later in tho season the bright scarlet 

 berries add to the attractiveness of this hedge. The barberry is easily grown from 

 seed. 



8. Hemlock Spruce. — Tsuga Canadensis. Planted in 1889, height 2 feet 6 

 inches, width near base 2 feet. This beautiful native evergreen succeeds best in 

 positions somewhat sheltered and rarely does well for any considerable time in a hedge. 

 It does not grow thriftily and branches occasionally die, giving the hedge an irregu- 

 lar appearance. On this account it cannot be recommended for hedge purposes in the 

 Ottawa district. 



9. Purple Barberry. Berberis vulgaris purpurea. — Planted in 1889, height 4 feet, 

 width near base 3 feet, 6 inches. This is a purple-leaved variety of the common bar- 

 berry referred to under No. 7. The purple-leaved variety is scarcely so strong a grower 

 as the common green form, but it seems to be equally hardy and it makes in every way 

 as good a hedge, and has the advantage of a rich purple hue which forms a pleasing 

 contrast with other trees and shrubs. As this bush does not always come true to 

 colour when grown from seed, it may be multiplied by suckers or layers, or it may be 

 grown from well ripened cuttings. 



10. Prickly Ash. Zanthoxylum Americanum. — Planted in 1889, height 3 feet 6 

 inches, width near base 3 feet. The prickly ash makes a fairly compact and prickly 



