EVERGREEN HEDGES. 



li.'9 



This tree, in Denmark, in a climate much 

 like that of Boston, is often used for hedges. 

 I have seen them there from five to fifty 

 years old ; and I have planted and managed 

 several thousands of yards of it as hedge. 



No evergreen bears trimming better than 

 the Norway Spruce. It may be cut into 

 any shape, and after a few years' trimming 

 it presents a strong green wall of great 

 power of resistance. 



I am, therefore, quite confident, that it 

 will prove a first-rate and beautiful hedge 

 plant for New-England. 



Raising Plants.- — This tree is only raised 

 from seed, which, when sown in drills early 

 in spring, in light sandy soil, soon vegetate, 

 but as the young plants carr}' the seed on 

 the top of the fruit leaves, they are apt to 

 be destroyed by birds, and will want protec- 

 tion for some time. The easiest way to do 

 this, is to cover the seed bed with some 

 brushwood. As the plants in the first sum- 

 mer have but tender roots, the powerful 

 sun and drouth of America will undoubted- 

 ly scorch them, and it is, therefore, always 

 advisable to sow them in a shady situation. 

 The second spring they ought to be trans- 

 planted to six inches distance from each 

 other, in order to form nice stocky plants, 

 and thus better fit for a hedge. This is 

 seldom performed in the commercial nurse- 

 ries, where they commonly remain in the 

 seed bed for several years, in order to save 

 space and trouble, but these plants are much 

 inferior to the first mentioned. 



Planting. — When two or three years old, 

 and having attained a height of about from 

 one to two feet, the seedlings are to be : 

 transplanted where they are wanted for a | 

 hedge. It will be remembered, that manure 

 is almost death to the Non\-ay Spruce, i 

 which is most fond of sandy, or still better, j 

 gravelly soil, and I have known hedges of 

 this tree to grow most admirably, when I 

 Vol. 11. 17 



planted on sunk fences. Where the soil is 

 verj- rich, it would be well to dig the trench 

 : pretty deep, and fill it with small rocks to 

 j the depth of six inches. The transplanting 

 ! should be done in spring, and it need not be 

 ven,- early ; even the middle of May is of- 

 ten not too late, unless we should have a 

 I verj- forward season. Transplant with as 

 '■ large a ball of earth as possible, or else be 

 : careful to get all the roots, and not to 

 let them drj- ; press the ground about the 

 ' roots, but not too firmly ; water directly 

 and plentifully, which v.ill settle the ground 

 I best around the roots ; and afterwards occa- 

 : sionally in a dr}' season, till they begin to 

 ■■ grow. If wanted for an ornamental hedge 

 I in a garden, to grow only about four feet 

 high, the plants ought to be set out from 

 nine to twelve inches apart ; but when the 

 hedge is wished to grow six or seven feet 

 high, they must be planted one foot apart. 

 For an outside hedge, as a protection 

 against cattle, or for subdivisions in the 

 fields, where they are desired to give shel- 

 I ter against high winds, I would advise the 

 • choice of plants two feet high, and that they 

 , be planted two feet apart. As soon as the 

 j hedge is set, it will be necessary to protect 

 it with a few rails for a couple of years. 



Finally, I must mention, that, if the 

 hedge is to be planted on a verj- windy, 

 rude and exposed situation, it will be of no 

 use to take seedlings from a sheltered place 

 in a nurser}'. Such a hedge will never do 

 well, unless raised from seed on that very 

 place, and afterwards thinned out ; and if 

 this could not be done, the seedlings must 

 be raised in a similar open situation, expo- 

 sed to any change of weather ; and pro- 

 bably this may be the reason why the Eng- 

 lish authors incorrectly think the Norway 

 Spruce not perfectly hardy when exposed 

 to high winds. 



Although many gardeners and nursery- 



