On Hedges. 297 
cleared away :—dug a small trench on each side of 
the hedge, and inserted gravel and sand in them.— 
No injury has since been done to the hedge.—It has 
continued to thrive,—is annually headed down,—pre- 
sents a beautiful foliage to the eye, and, except in one 
place where too wide an aperture has been injudiciously 
left, is without any artificial aid an effectual bar to cat- 
tle.—Its length is 260 feet. 
This plant though it passes under the general name 
of /ocust, is a distinct thing from the rodinia ; which is 
the common locust ; and of which there are several va- 
rieties. I have four of the latter on my place, none of 
which would answer for a hedge.—The robinia pseudo 
acacia, and the robinia glutinosa, (brought by Michaux 
from the westward) both of which are liable to be per- 
forated by insects; the thornless robinia, which I be- 
lieve is not a native, and the robinia hispida, often called 
the rose acaua, which is merely an ornament for the 
shrubbery. 
In the subjects for premiums the white mulberry is 
mentioned. I tried this plant in 1794 at another place ; 
but found its growth too slow and desultory, to render 
it valuable in this point of view. 
"There are two other strong objections to it, the want 
of thorns, and the fondness of cattle to browse on it. 
The plant selected for this purpose should either be 
obnoxious to the taste, or defended by thorns; its 
growth should be compact and steady ; it should bear 
the shade, and drippings of trees, which we sometimes, 
for different reasons, are desirous of retaining in the line 
of a hedge or near to it. This property is not always 
VOL. II. Pp | 
