4 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



killed by frost, or something else, I observed in all these 

 hedges, the same unsightly gaps that mark nearly all the 

 live fences in the United States. These frequent gaps in 

 the hedge are filled up vi^ith one, two, three, or perhaps a 

 dozen pannels of rail fence, and in the joining together of 

 the live and dead fence, holes are very apt to be left, 

 through which that animal which strange man permits to 

 run at large, to the eternal torment of himself and neigh- 

 bors, will be very likely to insinuate his porkship about 

 "roasting ear time." 



"But why don't they fill up these gaps with new sets, 

 if it is so easily done?" 



Exactly the question that I will answer after the most 

 approved Yankee fashion, by asking why we are not civi- 

 lized. Christianized, rationalized enough to enact laws, or 

 rather to repeal all laws, all over the Union, that compel 

 one man to fence against every other man's cattle, some 

 of which nothing but a Cherokee rose hedge would stop, 

 and even that must be free from gates, bars, or gaps? 

 And again, "if this hedge can be kept from spreading so 

 as not to occupy four acres of land in every mile of 

 length, and it makes such a beautiful as well as efficient 

 fence, why is it not more extensively used? 



Exactly the other question that I will answer after the 

 same approved fashion, by inquiring why you — "ivhat 

 me ?" — Oh, yes — you are the very man I mean — I want to 

 inquire if you love peaches, apples, grapes, and other 

 fruit? "Why, certainly." 



Well, the hedge is not planted just for the same reason 

 that you have never planted fruit trees and vines. 



"And how far north will this rose flourish?" I cannot 

 say ; but I believe that it would be dangerous to rely upon 

 it north of latitude 33°. Major Green, of Madison 

 County, latitude 321/2°, told me that he had 60 or 70 

 yards of Cherokee rose hedge growing very thriftily 

 around his yard, in the winter of 1831-2, and nearly the 

 whole of it froze to death. In the spring he cut it all off, 

 and but here and there a sprout came up. His house 



