BOUNDARY TREATMENTS 67 



usual hedge, I would advise tapering them from 

 a width of two feet at least at the bottom to a 

 foot at the top and leaving the top rounded 

 rather than flattened. 



In the early days of gardening here, the ar- 

 borvitae was much used for garden hedges; and 

 it is as good to-day as it was then. For a hedge 

 of evergreen, indeed, it is hardly excelled, and 

 it endures shearing perfectly. But its shape 

 naturally is such that not a great deal of atten- 

 tion is needed to keep it in the desired form, 

 for it conforms to the lines of the Gothic arch 

 almost without touching the shears to it. When 

 used as a hedge, the plants should be set not 

 quite their width apart, whatever size they may 

 be. This will insure their becoming a solid, 

 dense mass as they grow. Pruning should be 

 directed to keeping them at the height decided 

 upon, and evenly sloping on the sides of the 

 hedge. 



Prune evergreen hedges in June, preferably, 

 as they are then at the fullness of their seasonal 

 activity and will not suffer from the operation, 

 and will moreover soon clothe themselves with 

 their new growth, which will then conform to 

 the desired lines. Deciduous pruning or shear- 

 ing should be done in June and again, if neces- 

 sary, in August — the latter while the hedge is 



