14 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



then the rose vines are chopped on a block along side of 

 the furrow, into cuts 8 or 10 inches long, and planted 

 with one end sticking out, and they grow readily, and in 

 four years will be four or fivs feet high, and as wide; 

 and as the foliage is the most beautiful green, and the 

 roses most perfect white, with large, bright, yellow cen- 

 tre. No fence can be prettier, or more delightfully fra- 

 grant in the spring. 



But every thing is progressive, except trimming Chero- 

 kee rose hedges; and as the briars are so excessively 

 sharp that that don't progress, the consequence is that 

 the progress of growth is so rapid that in a few years the 

 fence is 25 or 30 feet wide, and as high; and I defy all 

 sorts of ravenous beasts to get through it. It is a good 

 fence. No matter for the amount of ground taken up; 

 surely there is land enough in the United States, and if 

 not, can't we 'annex' some? As to its growing and mak- 

 ing a good hedge upon our prairies, there is no doubt 

 about the matter, if managed right, (for which I will give 

 directions,) and I rejoice that the advocates of fencing 

 our country with hedge have at length discovered a plant 

 with which it can be done. You know I have been very 

 skeptical upon the subject of hedging heretofore. In all 

 my travels over the United States, while peering into 

 every thing I could find worthy the notice of one seeking 

 for agricultural improvement, I have seen but little hedg- 

 ing that could be depended upon for fence against all kind 

 of stock. 



Observing in Delaware last summer some cattle in very 

 scanty pasture, while there was adjoining, some rich feed 

 in stubble ground, enclosed with very beautiful hedges, I 

 said to the owner "pray, why don't you feed the stubble?' 

 'Oh, the cattle would destroy my hedges, and as soon as 

 the feed got poor, they would would walk right through 

 into my corn.' 



And that is American thorn hedge, is it, and its value 

 as a fence, besides its liability to be destroyed by an in- 

 sect, a mile at a mouthful. But that is not the case with 



