1 8 HEDGES, WINDBREAKS., SHELTERS, ETC. 



to create a work of great beauty. They spread out 

 their heads densely compacted, and if undisturbed 

 they will touch the ground with their overhanging 

 limbs. When browsed by sheep they form a won- 

 derful canopy over wide patches of the pastures, 

 where these animals lie down out of reach of the 

 sun's rays. There are many varieties, characterized 

 by form of leaves and color and by size of bush. 

 They are, everyone, admirable for hedge work. 



The honey locust deserves a few additional 

 words owing to the peculiar beauty of its foliage. 

 Its thorns are the most perfect weapons known in 

 nature, but unfortunately they are dangerous. When 

 broken from the hedge they cannot be stepped upon 

 with impunity by man or beast. The trimmings are 

 not easily gathered and removed, yet they should be 

 not only removed but burned. It will not do to 

 throw them into refuse holes or brush piles espe- 

 cially not by the roadside. Notwithstanding the 

 beauty of the plant and its usefulness as a hedge, the 

 danger from its thorns is so great that I believe, as a 

 rule, it should be given up. I have not in my own 

 range of observation known of a single rod of gle- 

 ditschia hedge that remains in preservation. I have 

 seen miles of it planted, and miles of it gone wild 

 and unmanageable. When once out of hand it can 

 never be reduced to order and beauty. It is as much 

 as a man's life is worth to undertake such a task. 

 I go so far as to refuse to allow even a tree of this 

 brutal thorn to grow on my land. 



There is, however, a thornless variety of gle- 

 ditschia, very little disseminated, which will surely 

 make a remarkably strong and beautiful hedge, I 



