98 Landscape Gardening 



the English Hawthorn, which often suffers from the un- 

 clouded radiance of our midsummer sun. In autumn, too, 

 it loses its foliage much sooner than our native sorts, some 

 of which assume a brilliant scarlet when the foliage is fading 

 in autumn. In New England, the buckthorn * is preferred 

 from its rapid and luxuriant growth; and in the middle 

 states the osage orange is becoming a favorite for its glossy 

 and polished foliage. The privet is a rapid growing shrub, 

 well fitted for interior divisions. f Picturesque hedges are 

 easily formed by intermingling a variety of flowering shrubs, 

 sweet briers, etc., and allowing the whole to grow together 

 in rich masses. For this purpose the Michigan rose is ad- 

 mirably adapted at the north, and the Cherokee rose at 

 the south. In all cases where hedges are employed in the 

 natural style of landscape (and not in close connection 

 with highly artificial objects, buildings, etc.), a more agree- 

 able effect will be produced by allowing the hedge to grow 

 somewhat irregular in form, or varying it by planting near 

 it other small trees and shrubs to break the outline, than 

 by clipping it in even and formal lines. Hedges may be 

 obtained in a single season, by planting long shoots of the 

 osier willow, or any other tree which throws out roots 

 easily from cuttings. 



A simple and pleasing barrier, in good keeping with cot- 

 tage residences, may be formed of rustic work, as it is 

 termed.:}: For this purpose, stout rods of any of our native 

 forest trees are chosen (cedar being preferable) with the 

 bark on, six to ten feet in length; these are sharpened and 



The Buckthorn is perhaps the best plant where a thick screen is very 

 speedily desired. It is not liable to the attack of insects; grows very 

 thickly at the bottom, at once; and will make an efficient screen sooner 

 than almost any other plant. A. J. D. 



t The osage orange has been much used for utility hedges in the 

 middle states, but is objectionable for lawn use on account of its thorns. 

 The privet (various species) has become the favorite ornamental hedge 

 plant, though many other species are now planted. A few of these are 

 hemlock, spruce, barberry, spirea, lilac, syringa, hydrangea. -- F. A. \Y. 



t This fancy for " rustic work" was very strong in Mr. Downing's time, 

 but the fashion has now completely changed, and for the better. - 

 F. A. \Y. 



