THE GENESEE FAEMER 



87 



TKE BEST PLANTS FOR HEDGES — THEER MAN- 

 AGEMENT, &c. 



Much has been said, of late years, about fencing ; 

 and it is a sulyect in whicli fanners are much inter- 

 ested. The expense, efticienoy, and durability, are 

 the main points to be considered. The great West 

 is not the only place where the inquiry is made, 

 with what material, and how, shall we fence our 

 farms? A great portion of the east is in some 

 degree depiived of what was once a burden — its 

 forests of timber ; hence the nec^ssiiy of a living 

 and permanent fence. The Osage Orange, no doubt, 

 is the best plant for this purpose. The vast amount 

 of this phxnt that has been successfully cultivated in 

 the Western States, is sufficient proof of the asser- 

 tion. A fiu-mer of Peoria c-ount}"-, 111., writes that 

 he has set over tliirty miles of it, within the last 

 four years, and part is now sufficient to turn stock. 

 He could not procure plants enougli last spring, hut 

 purchased seed and planted twenty-five acres. This 

 shows the success and confidence of those that have 

 tried iL The demand is greater tlian the supply. 



The seed can be planted where the hedge is 

 needed, but requires much care. Many have tried 

 eeed, but failed for want of experience. In order 

 to be successful, the seed (like that of tlie locust) 

 should be sprouted by pouring on hot water, chang- 

 ing it daily. The ground should he well prepared. 

 Plant plenty of seed, and at about the same time 

 you wouid Gorn, If the soil is dry and light, it 

 should be packed to I'etain the moisture. Keep it 

 clean from weeds, with the cultivator and hoe. 



It is considered the cheapest and safest way to 

 buy the plants of nurserymen. They can be bought 

 tiere for about three dollars per thousand. Let 

 them remain in the grcnmd until spring; or, if 

 taken u]) in the fall, they may be kept in sand or 

 earth witli safety until time to set in the spring. 



Setting aiid Cultivation. — Set your stakes, and 

 plow deep where you want the fence, both fail and 

 spring, if convenient. A very good way for setting 

 is to stretch a long line, take a basket of plants and 

 a spade, put the spade in the ground, slanting, the 

 length of the blade, and place the plant under the 

 spade as you remove it ; stick the plants about six 

 inches apart, if the ground is dry, and tread on 

 them as you go. Some of them may not start for 

 some time. Cultivate them welL If you have a 

 I'ow of choice corn or potatoes on each side, it will 

 be no disadvantage, but will help you to. remember 

 at. Trimming is of great importance. When eight 

 or ten inches high, cut thein with a scythe within 

 about three inches of the ground, the next time a 

 few inches higher; twice in the course of the sum- 

 mer, as a general thing, is sufficient. After being 

 cut, many sprouts will start from one stock, and 

 make a fence tliat will stop a pig or chicken ; there 

 k nothing that will like to disturb the hard, thorny 

 bush. Four or five years will be sufficient, if well 

 cultivated and trimmed, to make a good fence. 



The two past winters have been beneficial to 

 some hedges aiul injurious to others. The frost 

 trimmed those that had been neglected, but the 

 next spring they threw up a' thick and vigorous 

 growth. The severest winter will only kill the 

 growth of the previous season. Even if killed after 

 turned out to stock, it will remain permanent for 

 many years. To be prepared for a hard season the 

 first jear after setting, cover with a little straw or 



coarse manure. Various machines have been in- 

 vented for trimming, which operate successfully. 



I consider a hedge of great benefit to an orchard 

 or garden, by checking the cold winds. 



The expense is about fifty cents per rod. Cora- 

 pare this with the expense of a board or rail fence, 

 and the continual repairs. centke. 



Lee Coimty, IIL, Jan.y, 185S. 



USE .OF MUCK IN COMPOSTS AND AS LITTER FOR 

 STABLES AND YARDS. 



I HAVE for some time practiced littering my stables 

 with muck and dirt of all sorts, except sand. It is 

 very beneficial as an absorbent of the liquids and 

 gasses, but it has the objection when used in stables 

 of soon forming mud with the liquid manure, and 

 so requires to be often renewed. I like sawdust 

 better for litter, and mix tlie muck with the manure 

 as it is thrown from the stables. Sawdust keeps the 

 animals much cleaner, and if the stables are cleaned 

 daily, there is but little loss from evaporation before 

 the muck and manure are mixed. 



An absorbent of some kind must be used if we 

 are going to make headway in fiirming. I believe 

 that in the method common all through the country, 

 of wasting all the liquids and all the gasses that 

 escape before the manure is drawn upon the soil, we 

 lose full one half of all the manure we make. As a 

 consequence our crops are full a third lighter than 

 they would be, and that third is or would be, the 

 profits of the business. Most of us only make ends 

 meet. The out go being as great as the income. 

 But let the wasted manure be saved, which can be 

 done at small cost, and the business will be put on 

 quite another footing. 



There is not any danger of getting the land too 

 rich. I own a tarm in Illinois. Three years ago 

 the coming spring I had occasion to haul out a large 

 pile of manure, the accumulation of several years, 

 or else move the barn. It Avas put upon a piece of 

 prairie wliich had only been lu-oken a short time, 

 and was already rich. A number of old farzners 

 said it would spoil the land, and the corn would be 

 all stalks, for we put forty loads on the acre. There 

 was fifty acres in the field. The average was forty- 

 five bushels of shelled corn to the acre ; but where 

 the manure was put it was a trifle over eighty bush- 

 els (of sixty pounds), to the acre. 6. o. l. 



Linn, Susq. Co., Fa, 



MANAGEMENT OF WOODLAND. 



If it is desirable to secure a second growth of 

 wood, let the first be cut early in the spring, when 

 the sap flows most freely. Out as near the ground 

 as possible, and the sprouts will be more thrifty and 

 less liable to be broken oft^", as well as take root for 

 themselves more readily. If a second groAvtli is not 

 desirable, cut when the sap does not flow, and very 

 few sprouts will be thrown out from roots or stumps. 



Cut off the forest clean as you go, and the new 

 growth will have an equal chance, and make hand- 

 somer and better trees. When the full-grown and 

 decaying trees are selected out, the under-growth 

 will be overshadowed by the trees which are left, 

 and the woods will soon become thin and of decreas- 

 ing value. Cattle, sheep, and the fire must be kept 

 out of the woods where undergrowth is desired. 



Jan'!/, 1858. W. L. M. 



