4b On Ine Growth of White Thbtn. 



from whom the following accounts were received. Spec!-* 

 mens of the plants are reserved in the repository of the 

 society, where they may be seen by agriculturists. 

 GEntleme*, 



Every one of you, I think, will allow that fences ate 

 material objects to be attended to in agriculture; you must 

 also be convinced that there is no plant in this kingdom of 

 Which they can so properly be made as the Crataegus oxVa- 

 cantha Linnsei, or common White Thorn. In consequence 

 of my being convinced of this, I have been induced to make 

 a few experiments to effect the better propagation of that 

 valuable plant ; the result, of which, along with specimens 

 of my success, I beg leave to submit to your inspection. 



In the year 1801, I had occasion to purchase a quantity 

 of thorns, and finding them very dear, I was determined to 

 try some experiments, in order if possible to raise them at a 

 less expense. I tried to propagate them from cuttings of the 

 branches, but with little or no success. I likewise tried if pieces 

 of the root would grow ; and I cut from the thorns which 

 I had purchased about a dozen of such roots as pleased me, 

 and planted them in a border along with those I had bought. 

 To my great astonishment, not one pf them died; and in, 

 two years they became as good thorns as the average of those 

 I had purchased. The thorns I purchased were three years 

 old when I got them. In April 1802, I had occasion to 

 move a fence, from which I procured as many roots of 

 thorns as made me upwards of two thousand cuttings, of 

 which I did not lose five in the hundred. 



In the spring of 1803, I likewise planted as many cuttings 

 pf thorn roots as I could get. In 1804, I did the same:; 

 and this year I shall plant many thousands. 



I have sent for your inspection specimens of the produce. 

 of 1802, 1803, and 1804, raised after my method, with the 

 best I could get of those raised from haws in the cpmmon. 

 way, which generally lie one year in the ground before they 

 vegetate. They are all exactly onp, two, and three years 

 old, from the day they were planted.— J was so pleased with 

 my success in raising so valuable an article to the farming 

 jnterest of this kingdom, at so trifling an expense, (for it is 



merely 



