6 HEDGES, WINDBREAKS, SHELTERS, ETC. 



long-lived and perfect fence, set your plants at least 

 two feet apart. If the land be dry and high, it is 

 as well to plant in the fall; perhaps, indeed, this is 

 preferable; but on low and wet soils, by all means 

 defer until spring; although the ground should be 

 under preparation, as I have stated. 



A perfect live fence depends, however, not only 

 upon the planting, but also upon the treatment it 

 receives during its early years of growth. It should 

 in all cases be sharply cut back to uniform hight at 

 the very outset. As a rule, two-thirds of the wood 

 should be cut away by this first pruning. After the 

 first year, the object of pruning should be to broaden 

 the base about one-third as fast as the top is raised. 

 When the fence is grown to a hight of six feet the 

 base should be at least four feet. All pruning must 

 be directed to the establishment of this pyramidal 

 form. Supposing the young plants to be cut back 

 to five or six inches from the ground at the first 

 pruning, during the first summer they should be cut 

 back so as to increase the hight not to exceed two 

 inches. There will always be a tendency to throw 

 up a few very strong stems, and these will draw the 

 strength from others, so that if not checked they will 

 very speedily ruin your fence. These stronger shoots 

 should be kept well in hand, cutting them back so 

 that they will break their force into several shoots 

 in line with the fence. In fact, the application of 

 common sense must be continuous through the first 

 year's growth of your fence. Bear in mind simply 

 that the object is to create a pyramidal form and to 

 compel the side shoots to form thickly near the 

 ground. The failure with live fences has always 



