0/2 Hedges. 379 



The Cratagics coccinea,^ or great American haw- 

 thorn, is inferior to all the rest, in the following re- 

 spects ; 1st, The spines are much shorter, and less 

 numerous than those of the Newcastle, Virginia, or 

 English thorn. 2d, The plant, although it grows vi- 

 gorously, early in the spring, according to Mr. Neill, 

 makes no progress after the month of May, and then 

 begins to lose its verdure, the leaves to wrinkle, or 

 curl, and to become rusty, and their upper surfaces to 

 be covered with a white down. The branches are also 

 rendered unsightly by warty excrescences, of a red- 

 dish hue, which in some cases embrace and surround 

 them, and in others project from them, like the spur 

 of a cock, which they also resemble in size ; so that 

 the whole plant is sickly, and has a disagreeable ap- 

 pearance. 3d, Its progress in growth is slow. 



The other species of American thorns, composing 

 die hedges of Mr. Neill, looked healthy and vigorous, 

 and the leaves of the Newcastle thorn in particular, 

 exhibited a very deep green colour, and that high gloss 

 for which they are so remarkable ; while its numerous 

 long spines seemed to defy all intrusion from man 

 or beast. The branches of this species coming out 

 low, constitute a great defence against pigs, and 

 may indeed be said to form the perfection of a hedge- 

 Each plant sends out from five to eight top shoots, 

 each three feet long, besides numerous shoots in the 

 course of the season. The spines of the English white 



* See Miller's Gardener's Dictionary ; and M'Mahon's Garden- 

 er. It is the mes/iiius coccinea of Marshall. See Arbustriim 

 Amer. 



