H E D 



H E D 



against unsightly or naked walls, or paling 

 fences, as they soon cover them ; and if the 

 common green and variegated kinds are inter- 

 mixed, in either mode of hedge-work, they 

 have a delightful effect. 



They should be planted in one row, at from 

 about fifteen or eighteen inches to two or three 

 feet distance between plant and plant. 



The Bay is also capable of forming a tolerable 

 evergreen Hedge for variety, and may be led 

 up six or seven feet high ; placing the plants 

 half a yard distance. 



The Evergreen Oak is likewise a proper plant 

 to form a tall Hedge, as it may be trained fif- 

 teen or twenty feet high, if requiied. It should be 

 planted in one row, setting the plants one, two, 

 or three feet asunder, according to their size or 

 strength. 



The Evergreen Privet will also form, a hand- 

 some good Hedge five or six feet high, by plant- 

 ing the sets a foot asunder, and training it wp 

 narrow at top. 



The Tree-box makes a very close and beauti- 

 ful low evergreen hedge, four or five feet high, 

 when the sets are planted about a foot asunder. 



The lesser sorts of Evergreens are sometimes 

 employed for variety to form moderate Hedges, 

 from about three or four to five or six feet in 

 height ; they should be planted in a row at from 

 twelve or eighteen inches to two feet asunder. 



All the sorts of Evergreens are proper for 

 Hedges, when from about twelve or eighteen 

 inches to two or three feet in height ; though 

 the Holly succeeds better when planted in its 

 younger growth. 



The proper season for planting them is either 

 in autumn or in spring; for it is not safe to 

 transplant evergreens in the middle of winter. 

 Where the soil is moist the latter is the best pe- 

 riod ; but in dry gravelly soils, the former. 



In planting these sorts of evergreens, for 

 middle or internal Hedges, no ditches or banks 

 are necessary, as for outward Hedges for fences; 

 so that, in the place where the Hedge is de- 

 signed, a sort of boriler should be marked out 

 the whole length, two or three feet wide, and 

 dug or trenched over for the reception of the 

 plants : the plants need only, in these cases, be 

 planted in a single row. 



Among the deciduous plants, the Hornbeam 

 forms a beautiful summer Hedge ; being a mo- 

 derate but very close shooter, well furnished 

 with leaves, and capable of. being trained up 

 from about six or eight to twelve or fifteen feet 

 high ; but the leaves, though they wither in 

 autumn, remaining firmly attached to the 

 branches all winter," make but a shabby appear- 

 ance at that season. It is, however, on this ac- 

 count superior to most other deciduous Hedges 



for the purpose of forming shelter in the winter. ■ 

 For Hedges, it should be planted in single rows, 

 at about half ayard asunder in the plants, to form 

 a close moderate hedge as soon as possible ; but if 

 designed to be brought up pretty tall, and the 

 plants are spreading, they should be set about 

 three feet distant. 



The Beech also forms a close regular Hedge, 

 from about six or eight to fifteen or twenty feet 

 high : the leaves withering on the branches in 

 autumn, continue dropping off most part of the 

 winter. These plants should be planted iu the 

 same manner as the Hornbeam. 



The Elm forms a close, even, and beautiful 

 Hedge, and may be trained from six or eight, 

 to ten, twenty, or thirty feet high, forming a 

 close fence from bottom to top. The plants for 

 this purpose may be from three or four, to eight 

 or ten feet or more in height, and should be planted 

 iu a single row from two or three, to six or eight 

 feet distant, according as they are less or more 

 spreading, and as wanted to form a close Hedge 

 as soon as possible. 



The Lime-tree is sometimes employed for 

 ornamental Hedges for variety, but is much in- 

 ferior to the other deciduous sorts, as it becomes 

 thinand shabby by clipping, and is thinly leaved. 



Other low kinds of shrubs of this sort are 

 sometimes employed for variety: some sorts. 

 such as roses, honeysuckles, and syringas, when 

 formed into low Hedges, besides theirproperty as 

 Hedges, produce great quantities of flowers, and 

 afford a fine fragrance. 



The plants tor this use are of a proper size 

 when from about one foot to a yard in height, 

 according to the. sorts. It is best to plant them 

 young, choosing such as are well furnished with 

 plenty of side "or lateral shoots, that they may 

 form a close hedge quite from the bottom. They 

 mav all be planted either in autumn or early 

 spring, in open weather. 



The method of planting them is nearly the 

 same as in the evergreen kinds. 



These sorts of Hedges should be trained and 

 clipped in the same manner as directed above. 



In order to keep Hedges in perfect good order, 

 they should be clipped twice even' summer: the 

 first time about midsummer, when they have 

 made their summer shoot; and the second clip- 

 ping towards the middle or latter end of August. 

 But when this is done only once in the sum- 

 mer, the clipping should not be performed un- 

 til the beginning of August, as when cut 

 sooner they shoot again, and appear almost as 

 rough the remainder of the summer, and all v. in- 

 ter, as if it had not been done at all. 



HEDGE-CLIPPING MACHINE, a sort of 

 machine-scaffolding, or stage, ten, twenty, or 

 thirty feet high, or more, with platforms at dif- 

 3L 



