A CHAPTER ON HEDGES. 



353 



The plants should then be trimmed. 

 This is speedily done by cutting down the 

 top or stem, to within about an inch of 

 what was the ground line, (so that it will, 

 when planted again, have but an inch of 

 stem above the soil,) and by correspondingly 

 shortening all the larger roots about one- 

 third. 



If you have a good deal of planting to do, 

 it is better to bury the plants in a trench close 

 at hand, or lay-thevi-in-ly-the-heeh, as it is 

 technically called, to keep them in good 

 order, till the moment they are wanted. 



The hedge should be planted in a double 

 row, with the plants placed, not opposite to 

 each other, but alternate — thus: 



The rows should be six inches apart, and 

 the plants one foot apart in the rows. 

 This will require about 32 plants to a rod, 

 or 2000 plants to 1000 feet. 



Fig:. 83- Maimer of Plant itig Hedges. 



Having well pulverized the soil, set down 

 the line firmly for the first row, and with a 

 spade, throw out a trench about eight or ten 

 inches deep, keeping its upright or firm 

 bank next to the line. Drop the plants 

 along the line at about the distajice they 

 will be needed, and then plant them twelve 

 inches apart, keeping them as nearly as pos- 

 sible in a perfectly straight line ; for it is 

 45 



worth bearing in mind, that you are per- 

 forming an act, the unimpeachable straight' 

 foricardness of which will no doubt be criti- 

 cised for a great many years afterwards. 

 Press the earth moderately round the stem 

 of the plant with the foot, when the fiUing- 

 in of the pulverized soil is nearly completed. 

 And, finally, level the whole nicely with the 

 hoe. 



Having finished this row, take up the 

 line and fix it again, six inches distant ; 

 open the trench in the opposite direction, 

 and set the plants in the same manner. 

 This completes the planting. The next 

 point, and it is one of great importance, is 

 the cultivation which the young plants re- 

 quire until they become a hedge. It is in- 

 deed quite useless to plant a hedge, as some 

 persons do, and leave it afterwards to be 

 smothered by the evil genius of docks and 

 thistles. A young hedge requires about the 

 same amount of cultivation as a row of Indian 

 corn. The whole of the prepared strip of 

 ground must be kept loose with the hoe, and 

 free from weeds. Then light dressings for 

 the first two or three summers will be re- 

 quired to efiect this, and the thrifty and lux- 

 uriant state in which the plants are thereby 

 kept, will well repay it, to the eye alone. 

 After that, the branches of the hedge will 

 have extended so, as in a good degree, to 

 shade and occupy the ground, and little 

 more than a slight occasional attention to 

 the soil will be required. 



A few words must be given to the trim- 

 ming and clipping of our now established 

 hedge. 



The plants having, before they were 

 planted, been cut ofl' nearly even with the 

 surface of the ground, it follows, that, in 

 the ensuing spring, or one year from the 

 time of planting, they have made many 

 shoots from each stem. Let the whole of 



