92 On Live Fences. 



As to the article Fencing, I have tried many kinds of 

 trees and shrubs for the purpose : as 1st, the Palmetto 

 Royal* of South Carolina, which does not stand the 

 winter here. 2d, French Furze from Europe, which 

 is handsome, but not quite hardy enough. I have at 

 length fixed on the common locust.f I tried for seven 

 j'^ears to propagate this tree, and at length adopted a 

 method, by which I can make myself as sure of a plant; 

 from every seed, as from indian corn: they will grow 

 from four to six feet high the first year. My method 

 is, — take the trees at one or two years growth, make a 

 ditch (with the plough) Avhere they are to be planted, 

 and set the trees from nine to twelve inches apart, lean 

 one half one way, and the other half the other way, platt- 

 ing them together, and tye them at top, and in four or 

 five years, they will make a good fence. The locust 

 does not injure grain, and if the proprietor should choose 

 to cut them when grown high, we have no timber that 

 will beai' the expence better, on account of its durabi- 

 lity, and if cut at four, five, or six feet in height, the 

 stumps will not decay, until there is a sufiiciency of 

 sprouts to supply their places. 



[* Tiicca AloefoHa. In South Carolina, Georgia, and Flo- 

 rida, this plant abounds, and makes the best fence in the 

 world, owing to the sharp thorns at the end of the thick 

 fleshy leaves, which project at acute angles from the body of 

 the tree ; it is called, and with propriety the " bayonet bush." 



\ Robinia Pseudo-acacia, — Lin. 

 Attempts to raise locust trees from the seed, for fences^ 

 have been made near Philadelphia, but have failed, owing to 

 ;he destruction of the young plants by ground mice .] 



