206 THE YOUNG FARMER'S MANUAL. 



est stems are then cut out, and those that are left are bent over 

 to an angle of about forty-five degrees, and a hack is made in 

 them near the surface of the ground. They are then woven 

 backwards and forwards in a slanting direction. When a por 

 tion of the hedge is thus treated, long slender sticks are cut and 

 wattled in among the stakes, within an inch or two of the tops, 

 by twisting backwards and forwards, and crossing them on alter 

 nate sides of the stakes. The live stakes, in consequence of 

 being surrounded by the hedge, are apt to send out shoots thickly 

 at the tops, and not below, unless prevented by being cut half 

 through at the ground. Strong leather mittens, with long 

 sleeves, are needed by the man who does the work." Albany 

 Cultivator. 



01 



CULTIVATING THE SOIL ALONG HEDGES 



275. Must be thoroughly performed yearly, until the hedge is 

 large enough to turn cattle. The soil should be plowed every 

 spring, just as if no hedge were there, and some hoed crop planted 

 by the sides of it. If corn be planted there, a row of potatoes, 

 or carrots, beets, turnips, or the like, should be planted on each 

 side of the hedge between the corn and it, never nearer to it than 

 three feet. Let a horse scarifier be run along the hedge row as 

 often as you can find leisure during summer ; and keep the ground 

 mellow and level, and free from grass and weeds, during the 

 entire growing season. Never allow plants of any kind to cast 

 their seed near the hedge row. If weeds or thistles are allowed 

 to grow among the quicks, they will soon choke them, and pro 

 duce a thin, weak place in the hedge. If some parts of the hedge 

 do not seem to grow as fast as others, give the small parts of 

 stinted growth a liberal dressing of well-rotted chip manure, or 

 sawdust, or well-prepared compost, and work it in with a hoe. 

 If the soil in places seems to be so hard that they do not grow 

 as fast as other parts of the hedge, let mellow dirt be spread on 

 each side two or three inches deep. There will be a great many 

 times during the growing season, when, for an hour or two, and 

 perhaps for half a day, the work hands will have nothing which 



