March lU, 1871. ) 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICCLTURE AND COTIAGB GARDENER. 



233 



HEDGES, AND THE PLANTS TO MAKE 

 THEM WITH. 



F the objects on whicli cultivation is brought 

 to bear there is, perhaps, none that presents 

 a greater diversity in the results sought to ^ 

 be attained than that most indispensable of ( 

 all fences, the hedge. Timber, brick and 

 stone, with or without mortar, as well as the 

 varied forms that wrought and cast iron are 

 made to take, all more or less compete with 

 the living hedge as a boundary between pro- 

 perties and protection against cattle, but the 

 hedge still survives, and imparts a degree of clothing to a 

 district whicli artificial objects fail to do, also in most in- 

 stances affording more shelter than the hand-made struc- 

 ture has any pretensions to do. My object, however, is not 

 to contrast the merits of a live fence with those of a dead 

 «ne, but to ascertain which are the most suitable plants 

 for hedges, and to point out how one that was brought 

 before the public some years ago as hkely to be useful 

 for the purpose, has failed, and is now but rarely met 

 with ; in fact, it now only occurs in the back shrubberies, 

 or other out-of-the-way places. Before drawing attention 

 to the merits of other plants let us take a glance at tliis, 

 and see how far it is entitled to the high character given 

 of it many years ago. 



Madura auratifiaca, or Osage Orange, is a deciduous 

 shrub of rather formidable a^jpearauce in consequence of 

 the prickles with which it is armed, neither is it deficient 

 in habit nor in hardiness for the purpose of making a 

 fence capable of withstanding cattle ; but somehow it has 

 not found its way into general use, neither am I acquainted 

 with any extent of hedge formed of this plant — in fact, I 

 am not certain that I have seen it used at all in this 

 capacity since 18.57, when a hedge of it was pointed out 

 to me at Fairlawn, in Kent, that was fully exposed on 

 one side at least to the tender mercies of sheep and cattle, 

 and it seemed to answer pretty well, was well clothed 

 with foliage, and in other respects was a formidable 

 closely-trimmed fence. It was clipped at about the usual 

 height for Thorn hedges, and when I saw it (September) 

 it was a good rival to the Quickset. As I have not seen 

 it since that time, and only heai'd of it indirectly, I have 

 but an imperfect idea how it has answered the expecta- 

 tions formed of it since that time ; but the fact of the 

 Madura being so little used would imply that it -is in 

 some way deficient in the requisites of a good hedge- 

 plant. My impression at the time, confirmed by what 

 I have noticed of some single plants here, was that the 

 later growths of the season do not ripen, even in hot 

 dry summers like that of 1858. Growth continues so 

 late that the tips rarely harden sufficiently, and, like the 

 Fuchsia, always die-ofi', more or less, during the autumn 

 or winter. 



The plant seems to be well furnished with branches, 

 and an abundance of vei'y formidable thorns, much more 

 so than the Quickset — in fact, when growing amongst 

 other shrubs, I do not know of anything more likely 



No 677.— Vot. XXVL, New Seeies. 



to keep out intruders. The fohage also is bright, shining, 

 and on the whole attractive, and the growth of the 

 plant in all the cases I have met with is as rapid as need 

 be wished for in a hedge-plant. I have been told that in 

 some parts of the Canailian Dominion it is used for hedges 

 where the climate is too severe for the Quickset ; so that 

 we may fairly place it amongst the hardiest of plants. 

 Yet there may be a difference between an English and a 

 Canadian summer that may enable the Madura to endure 

 the winter of Canada better than that of this country ; 

 for in all probabihty the fine sunny autumns of North 

 America ripen the tips as well as the Hawthorn ripens 

 with us. Now, how has it comported itself in hard 

 winters in this country, such, for instance, as those of 

 1800-61 and 18GC-G7 ? Possibly it may have succumbed 

 under the severities of these, and its claim as a hedge- 

 plant been extinguished for the time, but of this I would 

 like to hear more from those having experience of the 

 plant. 



Cohitea horriihi. — I will now glance at another plant, 

 not, I fear, plentiful enough to form hedges to any great 

 extent, but I will ask. Has anyone used Colutea horrida 

 for that purpose, for which its touch-me-not character 

 would seem to fit it well ? I believe it to be sufficiently 

 hardy for most situations that are tolerably dry, and it is 

 not so shy a grower as some plants are. It certainly has 

 not the fault of growing so late in the autumn as not to 

 ripen the ends of the shoots ; for the growth being moderate 

 and the habit good, it seems well adapted for a hedge or 

 fence almost without training or pruning of any kind, 

 and the shoots being always of a rich green hue, the ap- 

 pearance must be good. I should certainly think it must 

 make a sturdy fence, as eveiy bit of it is pointed, and I 

 should say as difficult to approach by man or beast as 

 any plant I know, unless it be some of the Cactus tribe. 

 I have a strong impression that if it can be made to 

 answer it will drive even the all-important Quickset out 

 of the field, and some one having a favourable position 

 should ti-y it. Fm'ze has no chance with it in keeping out 

 intruders. 



CoUetia criiciata is a not less interesting object for 

 hedge-culture. It differs widely from the Colutea, but its 

 spines are scarcely less formidable. The plant, I imagine, 

 is also much less hardy, and of slower growth; it uiay 

 be advantageously gi-own for its curious character, and 

 its white flowers are likewise attractive, being in some 

 seasons produced in great abundance ; it is not yet plenti- 

 ful enough to become a competitor with other plants to 

 form hedges, although its hab:t and appearance entitle 

 it to notice. 



It is not intended in this article to enumerate all the 

 numerous plants used for hedges. The most common are 

 Holly, Yew, Box, Arbor- Vit;e, Privet (both alone and 

 mixed with other plants), several Cypresses, Laurels, and 

 the like. The term fence cannot well be apphed to many 

 of these, although they make highly ornamental hedges, 

 but I believe that Berberis Darwinii might be advantage- 

 ously tried for the former purpose ; it is of sturdy growth, 

 and if sheep and cattle could only be prevented eating it, 



No. 1329.— Vol. LI., Old Sebieb. 



