108 REPORT ON HEDGEROW TREES. 



— the laburnum (Cytisus Laburnum), English maple {Acer cam- 

 pestre), birdeherry (Cerasus Padus), scarlet thorn, Crataegus Oocya- 

 cantha-punicea arid flora plena). In this group we have nothing 

 of value as regards timber, nor is the shelter afforded by these 

 trees of much consequence, but in point of beauty we have no- 

 thing like them. What is more lovely than the laburnum in 

 June, with its golden ringlets waving in the breeze, or the scarlet 

 thorn decked out in such gorgeous livery in May and June, while 

 the lovely white blossom of the birdeherry in May completes a 

 group of matchless beauty ! And although the English maple 

 may be less brilliant in colour than the others, it appears to me 

 to be most appropriate and necessary to this group, and makes 

 a fine stubby tree, growing from 20 to 30 feet high, with 

 neat and finely cut small leaves. These varieties are particularly 

 adapted for lawn and roadside hedge planting ; and for the latter 

 purpose, with a few of the others intermixed, would make a con- 

 tinuous avenue of surpassing loveliness, while their introduction 

 would be a decided improvement on the prevalent system, which 

 presents the dull monotony of the oak, the ash, and the beech, 

 and that whether they are in keeping or the reverse. 



In finishing this list, I am aware that other varieties might 

 have been added, but perhaps sufficient have been noticed for 

 practical purposes ; and if, at planting, the size and shape of the 

 tree when arrived at maturity be kept in view, and a judicious 

 arrangement chosen so as to suit the locality, we can seldom go 

 wrong. 



Let us suppose a hedgerow of trees to be planted, the hedge 

 beins at the outskirts of the lawn, and in full view of the 

 mansion house. Let the standard or permanent trees be placed, 

 say from 30 to 40 feet apart, and let these be the oak, lime, 

 horse chestnut, purple beech, and sycamore. Fill in between 

 each of these one of the following, namely, laburnum, birdeherry, 

 and scarlet thorn, which will form a fine line of flower and foli- 

 age, and reduce the space to 15 or 20 feet apart. By trim- 

 ming the trunks of the standards to a reasonable height, room 

 will be made for their smaller companions for many years ; and 

 in course of time, when the standards have perfected their growth, 

 the others could be cut out, or kept so low by pruning, that the 

 one would in no way interfere with the other. Of course the 

 selection could be greatly diversified from the above according 

 to taste. 



With reference to the treatment of trees for hedgerows in the 

 early stages of their growth, it is now generally considered to be 

 most convenient to procure them from the nursery suitable for 

 the purpose at once, and in that case they should average from 

 6 to 10 feet in height, and be clean, well-grown plants. But if 

 a smaller size be preferred, to be nursed at home for a time, let 



