86 Landscape Gardening 



some of the plants will grow more rapidly than the others, 

 some will die out, and all will be seriously injured by the 

 attempt to grow them in so contracted a space. The dis- 

 tance best for planting must vary with the variety, but they 

 should have room enough to enable them to make a suffi- 

 cient growth to keep them in a healthy condition. Norway 

 spruces, hemlocks, large forms of the arbor-vitaes, honey- 

 locusts, etc., for a hedge six to eight feet high, should be 

 planted five feet apart at least, and be forced to spread out 

 and grow laterally by cutting in at the top until strong 

 main branches are formed near the ground. If a low hedge 

 or immediate effect of a high hedge is desired, the plants 

 may be set closely, and when they crowd be transplanted 

 again with a little greater distance between them, or every 

 other one be taken out. In this way, if plants are set over 

 only one-half of the line desired at first, as they crowd the 

 line can be extended at less expense and with better results 

 than if the whole distance were planted at once with trees 

 of larger size. 



REQUIREMENTS OF A PERFECT HEDGE 



The first requirement of a perfect hedge either for beauty 

 or for a perfect screen is numerous main branches close to 

 the ground, and at transplanting, unless the plants have 

 been specially prepared in the nursery, they should be cut 

 back severely to encourage this condition of growth. It is 

 not often possible to obtain hemlocks and spruces in proper 

 condition for a perfect hedge, they not having been cut 

 back while small, and they cannot be so severely pruned as 

 can the deciduous trees; but the Japanese quince, buck- 

 thorn, privet, etc., can and should be cut down to within 

 six inches of the ground at planting, even if of consider- 

 able size, and be kept low until sufficient strong lateral 

 branches are developed to insure a close and healthy growth 



