EVERGKEEtf HEDGES. 51 



most practical of which is its ability to shed a heavy 

 weight of snow that would otherwise adhere, and, by 

 pressing out the side branches, mar the beauty of the 

 hedge. Novices must always bear in mind that it is very 

 easy to produce a tall hedge, but to form one with a close, 

 broad bottom, requires frequent trimming, and a proper 

 amount of attention ; for after the hedge is grown, this can- 

 not be accomplished. In after years, when the hedge ar- 

 rives at its required height, all that will be necessary is the 

 frequent use of the shears, and due attention to keep the 

 weeds and other strong growing plants clear from the row. 



SEASON FOR PRUNING CONIFERS. 



Many intelligent cultivators utterly disregard all set 

 times for performing this important operation, under the 

 belief that the best season to trim is when they have the 

 most time to devote to it. There is, no doubt, an advan- 

 tage to be gained by this course, but there are principles 

 that govern this operation, as well as those of planting, 

 propagating, etc. 



In a young hedge, for the first two or three years, we 

 do not desire to trim severely, as the object should be to 

 encourage, not weaken the growth, and consequently our 

 own practice has been to cut them but once in the season, 

 say in October, and when the young shoots have ripened, 

 but not by any means after freezing weather sets in. One 

 main reason for not pruning late in the autumn is, that after 

 the external portion of the hedge is removed, the inner 

 and weaker parts are then exposed, which, being in a very 

 tender state, are liable to become injured by evaporation 

 and sudden changes of temperature. In an older hedge, 

 the object in pruning is to weaken growth, and this is 

 best gained by pruning early in the month of June. 

 At that season the unmatured shoots are suddenly checked 

 by being cut back, and the growth weakened very mate- 



