38 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



which we mean that the plants are bent down and twisted to- 

 gether so as to thicken the hedge at the bottom. I have rarely, 

 if ever, however, seen a hedge made hog proof by this means. 

 An English neighbor of mine has a hedge of which he has taken 

 admirable care, having plashed it twice, but the hogs go through 

 it, and as it grows older it will get worse. If you only want a 

 hedge to turn cattle, no plashing will be necessary, as it will 

 grow up thick enough for this purpose. If you want a hog 

 fence I would advise that two six inch boards, or two barbed 

 wires be used at the bottom. 



The great objection to a hedge fence, except where it can be 

 neglected as I suggest, is that it must be trimmed regularly and 

 at the right time, or it is soon too large and out of shape, arid 

 becomes a nuisance; and as this work comes at a season when 

 the crops demand all the time and attention of the farmer, it be- 

 comes a heavy tax. The only way to keep a hedge in good 

 shape is to trim frequently when the new growth is soft, and 

 this requires three trimmings a Summer. If neglected ten days 

 after it should be cut, till the wood hardens, you can not keep a 

 good shape to your hedge. Where you wish an ornamental 

 hedge you should always trim with sloping sides, as a hedge 

 with perpendicular sides is always more or less open. The best 

 form is pyramidal, with a regular slope from the ground to the 

 top. The best implement to trim with is the Dutch sickle, or 

 grass hook. With a little practice one can trim as true with it 

 as with shears, and very much more easily and rapidly. If 

 trimmed at the proper time there will be no thorns scattered, for 

 it will be done before they harden. When barbed wires or 

 boards are to be used to make the hedge hog proof, they should 

 be put in place when the hedge is cut back to the ground, so 

 that in making the new growth a part of the shoots will grow 

 up on either side, thus holding the boards or wires in place. 

 The boards or wires should be secured to stakes driven along 

 the hedge row. My advice to the farmer is, plant but little 

 hedge, except in such places as you are willing to allow it 

 to grow without the labor of trimming. Another way to re- 

 duce the cost of fencing is to plant a row of trees, and thus 



