DECIDUOUS HEDGES. 21 



ous hedge plant. I place it at the front, as I shall 

 hereafter place arbor-vitae at the front of evergreen 

 plants for hedges. It grows with an even spread 

 and bears rational cutting admirably. It has no 

 enemy that I ever heard of except the hop louse, 

 which it is compelled to harbor for a couple of 

 months. This louse does not appear every year, 

 and if properly attacked it can be destroyed with a 

 spray of strong kerosene emulsion. Although not 

 a thorny or harsh plant, the buckthorn is very firm 

 in growth. I have already spoken of its capacity, 

 in a previous chapter, for turning cattle, when it is 

 allowed to grow six or eight feet high. At that 

 hight it is also a very handsome screen, but for ordi- 

 nary purposes a hedge of four to six feet is much 

 better. At this hight it is easily trimmed, and the 

 form of the hedge can always be kept without 

 trouble. The growth is neat and tidy, if not remark- 

 ably handsome. When neglected, it can be cut back 

 to renew its form without injuring the hedge, and it 

 does not become at any time, under the worst neg- 

 lect, as horrible a sight and as terrible a nuisance as 

 neglected Osage orange or honey locust. In fact, 

 I have seldom seen a buckthorn row given up. Even 

 when neglected and practically useless as a fence, the 

 owner is inclined to keep it as a hedge. 



I find, after careful examination, that among the 

 farmers of the Eastern and Middle states, the hedges 

 which have been best preserved and most useful are 

 ( i ) the buckthorn, ( 2 ) the gleditschia or locust. I 

 find also that the buckthorn is invariably in the best 

 form as a hedge; although I judge that the thorn 

 has done the most service. The latter is, however, 



