354 



CHAPTER ON HEDGES. 



this growth, tlicn be cut down to within six 

 inches of the ground. 



The following spring, which will be two 

 years of growth, cut back the last season's 

 shoots, leaving only one foot of the current 

 season's growth. This will leave our hedge, 

 altogether, eighteen inches high. 



The third year shorten back the tops so 

 as to leave again one foot of the year's 

 growth. The hedge will now be two and 

 a half feet high. 



This course must be pursued every spring 

 until the hedge is of the desired height and 

 form, which will take place in five or six 

 years. The latter time is usually required 

 to make a perfect hedge — though the Buck- 

 thorn will make a prett}^ good hedge in five 

 years. 



This severe process of cutting off all the 

 top at first, and annually shortening back 

 half the thrifty growth of a young hedge, 

 seems to the novice, like an unnecessary cru- 

 elty to the plant, and trial of one's own pa- 

 tience. We well remember as a boy, how 

 all our indignation was roused at the idea of 

 thus seeing a favorite hedge "pwf feacA-" so 

 barbarously every year. But it is the " inexo- 

 rable must,^^ in hedge growing. Raising a 

 hedge, is like raising a good name; if there 

 is no base or foundation for the structure, it 

 is very likely to betray dreadful gaps at the 

 bottom before it is well established. In a 

 hedge, the great and all important point is 

 to make abroad and thick base. Once this 

 is accomplished, the task is more than half 

 over. The top will speedily grow into any 

 shape we desire, and the sides are pliant 

 enough to the will of him who holds the 

 shears. But no necromancy, short of cut- 

 ting the whole down again, will fill up the 



* Plashing is a mode of interlacing the branches of hedges 

 that are thin and badly grown, so as to obviate the defect as 

 far as possible. It need never be resorted to with the Buck- 

 ihom, when a hedge is properly irimmed from the first. 



base of a hedge that is lean and open at the 

 bottom.* Hence the imperative necessity of 

 cutting back the shoots till the base becomes 

 a perfect '.hicket. 



The hedge of the Buckthorn, or Osage 

 Orange, that has been treated in this way, 

 and has arrived at its sixth year, should be 

 about six feef high, tapering to the top, and 

 three feet wide at the base. This is high 

 enough for all common purposes; but when 

 shelter, or extra protection is needed, it may 

 be allowed to grow eight or ten feet high, 

 and four feet wide at the base. 



In trimming the hedge, a pair of large 

 shears called hedge shears, are commonly 

 used. But we have found that English labor- 

 ers in our service, will trim with double the 

 rapidit}', with the instrument they call a 

 "hook." It may be had at our agricultural 

 warehouses, and is precisely like a sickle, 

 except that it has a sharp edge. 



When the hedge has attained the size and 

 shape, which is finally desired, it is not al- 

 lowed to grow any larger. Two shearings 

 or clippings are necessary, every season, to 

 keep it in neat order — one in June, and the 

 other at the end of September. 



Counting the value of the plants in the 

 commencement at five dollars per thousand, 

 the entire cost of the hedge, at the end of 

 the sixth year, — including planting, cultiva- 

 ting, and shearing in the best manner, — 

 would here be about seventy-five cents a 

 rod ; which for an everlasting fence, and 

 one of so much beauty, we think a very 

 moderate sum. 



We have said nothing about the tempo- 

 rary fencing which our hedge will need, till 

 it is at least five years old — that is, if it is 

 a boundary hedge, or is bordered on one or 

 both sides by fields Avhere animals run. It 

 is evident enough that for this purpose, in 

 most cases, the cheaper the fence the better. 



