Live Hedges. 123 



and devoured at the root by the borer. The Washington thorn, 

 so called, grows vigorously and forms an excellent hedge, but is 

 also liable to the attacks of ihe same destructive insect. 



The Osage orange, (Maclurrt aurantiaca,) is a native of Arkan- 

 sas; the leaf is beautiful, of a deep shining green, resembling 

 that of the orange, and the wood, like that of the orange, is cov- 

 ered with loiig sharp spines. It is said to form the finest hedge in 

 the world. On my hill I have trees over a dozen feet high, which 

 have borne the winter uninjured during eight years; but in my 

 low grounds, during the winier of 1836—7, I left five thousand 

 very small trees exposed, — these were killed quite down in that 

 winter, but grew again vigorously, in the following summer, and 

 this winter they escaped, with a partial injury at the tips. There- 

 fore the Osage orange can only be recommended in high grounds, 

 where I am persuaded it will answer well. 



Mr. Russell and many other gentlemen have recommended 

 the buckthorn, i^hamnus catharticus, as the most suitable of all 

 plants for our climate. This plant has much to recommend it. 

 It is perfectly hardy; it grows well in all soils, and even rapidly 

 in a soil that is moist; it is never browsed by cattle, on account 

 of the extreme bitter taste and medicinal qualities of the bark 

 and wood; and owing to this cause it is never annoyed either by 

 mice or the borer. The thorns of this plant are few in number, 

 and these grow, like those of the pear tree, only at the tip ends 

 of the twigs. 



The cockspur, or Newcastle thorn, (Cratse^gus Crus-galli,) is 

 a handsome plant, perfectly hardy, and well suited to our cli- 

 mate; of rapid growth; the leaves are very beautiful, dark green 

 and shining; the thorns numerous, very sharp and strong. It 

 makes a hedge the most beautiful and substantial. 



John Prince, Esq., of Jamaica Plain, has tried a hedge of 

 this thorn during nineteen years, and esteems it the best of all 

 thorns for a hedge; and though his grounds were much infested 

 by the borer, they have never touched this plant. I think this 

 thorn and the buckthorn the most suitable and valuable for our 

 climate of all I have ever seen tried. The red cedar is said to 

 make a fine hedge, if properly trained. 



William Kenrick. 



J^onantum Hill., JS'^eidon, ) 

 March, 1838. ] 



[Those of our readers who arc seeking for information on 

 planting hedges, will, we doubt not, feel highly gratified for the 

 addition of Mr. Kenrick's remarks to those of Mr. Downing 

 and Mr. Russell. They are in themselves complete.' — Ed.] 



