HEDGES FOR SMALL LAWNS. 4! 



variety on my lawns I find objectionable, owing to 

 its brittle wood. Still, on the whole, with a little 

 extra care, long lines of altheas can hardly be sur- 

 passed for beauty during the autumn months. 



I have already spoken of the beauty of the red- 

 barked dogwood as a hedge in winter. To enliven 

 the landscape and take the chill from the winter 

 months there is nothing quite so good. The color 

 becomes a deep crimson in November, and remains 

 a brilliant sight for the eye until the leaves put forth 

 in spring. It has only one rival, the barberry. 

 Although the barberry has often been used for 

 hedges, it has one fatal defect, its branches are con- 

 stantly reaching over out of place, and breaking with 

 readiness. The wood is very brittle, so that it is 

 difficult to keep anything like symmetry of outline. 

 I should prefer the barberry in individual plants. If 

 used in line, I should set the plants several feet apart 

 and retain the branches in place with a strong wire 

 around each plant. 



Mr. S. B. Parsons of Flushing has, for a long 

 time, urged the value of the purple beeches for 

 hedges. Some years ago C. H. Miller of Phila- 

 delphia called attention to the fact that seed- 

 lings of this tree came with purple foliage, 

 and were hardier than the parent: There is 

 a good deal of variation in the color, but I 

 think he is right about their hardiness. The ordinary 

 purple beech is not hardy. The variety called Rivers 

 is absolutely frost proof. It is one of the grandest 

 trees in existence for a shelter. If you desire a short 

 hedge or a hedge to close in a warm nook, the purple 

 beech will serve you admirably. It does not easily 



