412 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



HEDGE FENCES. 

 In the New En-land Farmer of May 29, page 343, 

 vol. ii. we published an extract of a letter from James 

 Wbitelaw, Esq. of Ryejate, Vermont, requf iting: infor- 

 mation on the subject of " raising hed^res." The fol- 

 lowiuj article will supply the best in our power to ob- 

 tain, and perhaps the best that can be obtained. We 

 have waited on Mr. Qdincy, bow Mayor of this city, 

 requestinj further intelligence on this subject, and he 

 has assured us that the Hedge Fence, described below 

 has completely answered his expectations. It has 

 been supposed that the English White thorn was 

 better adapted to the purpose of forming fences than 

 the American thorn. Mr. Quincy, however, is of a 

 different opinion. He says, in substance, that al- 

 though the English thorn has a stem stronger than 

 the American thorn, its growth is slower, and it does 

 not retain its verdure so late in autumn. The Ameri- 

 can thorn on the whole, he thinks, is to be preferred 

 for the purpose of making fences ; although the Eng- 

 lish thorn has some qualities of a superior nature. — 

 Soma assert, however, that a good post and rail fence, 

 the bottom of the posts being well charred or tho- 

 roughly scorched in a blazing fire, unless timber is ve- 

 ry scarce, is to be preferred to either. Dr. Cooper, ed- 

 itor of the last edition of Willich's Domestic Encyclo- 

 pedia, is of this opinion. 



From the Massachusetts Agricultural Repository for 

 June, 1813. 



ON THE AMERICAN HEDGE THORN. 



BY HOir. JOSIAH aulNCT. 



To the Corresponding Secretary, 



Sir, — Live hedges are objects of so much im- 

 portance, in those parts of this State, wliere 

 stone cannot be easily obtained ; and knowing 

 that a mistaken opinion prevails concerning 

 the expense of this species of fence, 1 think it 

 will be useful to communicate the result of an 

 experiment made with an express reference to 

 this point. 



In .March 1802,1 imported 10,000 seedling 

 thorns from the nursery of Thomas Main, near 

 Georgetown in the District of Columbia, of 

 that species which he calls tlie "American 

 Hedge Thorn." Tiiese were planted in a 

 hedge course, which, in its whole length, was 

 two hundred and fil'ty-five rods; so far as was 

 necessary, to fill that extent in one line, each 

 plant being five inches apart. The residue were 

 planted in a nursery for the purpose of tilling 

 vacancies, which might occur by death or acci- 

 dent. 



The hedge course was made in a sord land, 

 ploughed of the width of four teet, and manur- 

 ed and prepared, precisely as if for Indian corn ; 

 except only that after ploughing, the centre, 

 for two feet wide, was turned over with the 

 spade. Without other preparation, the hedge 

 was planted in April, 180y, on a level, without 

 either bank or ditch. 



As I intended this as an experiment, to test 

 the utmost cost of a hedge destined, not for or- 

 nament, but for farm use, I directed the tenant 

 of my farm, (Alpheus Cary of this town,) a ve- 

 ry faithful and intelligent farmer, to make a 

 separate charge for all the labor bestowed up- 

 o'.\ it in his account with me, and I paid, 

 without any question, every such charge at the 

 price he affixed; being determined that no par- 

 icular economy should render the apparent, 

 >ess than t!ie real expense I consider the ex- 



periment now as completed, so far, at least, as I sufficient against every ordinary danger, for an 



necessary for a satisfactory ascertainment ot\ex.pt:t\sc far less than ffly cents per rod. Practi. 

 the cost of this species offence. For the ex- ' "" '^ ''" >i-- ^ • 



pense of the hedge, this year, has been nothing 

 except the annual trimming. It is, upon an av- 

 erage, nearly five feet high ; and a sufficient se- 

 curity against cattle, for almost tlie whole ex- 

 tent ; and is every day strengthening, without 

 any application of attention er labor. 



The following is a statement of the expense : 



ro ds, or 4207 1-2 feet is 8415 plants :— 



say 8300 at $5 per 1000 ... is $42 50 



Reserved in the nursery 1500 . . 7 50 



10,000 plants 



$30 



Package and freight 

 Cost of the thorns at and from Georgetown $53 75 

 Labor 



do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 

 do. 



do. 

 do. 

 do. 



do. 

 do. 



(Jo. 



1808, April. Equaltonine days, (ox- 

 (en and manure included) breaking 

 up and preparing hedge-course 

 Selting-oHt hedge 

 May, hoeing 

 June, hoeing & sundries 

 July, do. 



August, do. 

 November^do. 



13 days 



4 do. 

 9 1-2 do. 

 7 do. 

 1 do. 



5 do. 



$14 



12 92 



4 00 

 11 63 



7 00 

 1 00 



5 00 



Cost of labor, &c. first year 



1809, April. Hoeing and filling 

 vacancies 3 days 



May, June, Julv and August, hoe- 

 ing 19 1-2 days 



November, treading snow, against 

 mice . 1 day 



Cost of labor the second year . 



lUlO, February. Cropping hedge, 

 one day 



April and August. Hoeing and fill- 

 ing vacancies, 10 1-2 days 



Cost of labor the third year 



181 1, February. Trimming hedge, 

 one day .... 



April and August, hoeing, 7 days 



Sundries .... 



November. Trimming hedge, one 

 and a half days 



Cost of labour the fourth year 



1012, April. Hoeing, 7 days 

 August do. 4 do. 



Cost of labour the fifth year 



1813, February. Trimming 

 hedge, two days 



Whole cost of labour, &c. 



Whole expense of making 235 rods 



$53 55 



$3 00 



19 50 



1 00 



$23 50 



$1 00 



10 50 



$11 50 



$1 00 

 7 00 

 1 13 



There is no longer any labour necessary, and 

 only general attentions, of a nature not worth 

 an ^slimate are requisite. 



From the result it appears, that two hundred 

 and fifty-five rods of hedge fence, has cost less 

 than sixty-six cents per rod ; notwithstanding no 

 particular attention was paid to economy in ex- 

 ecuting the work, and the whole was paid for 

 at the cash value of labour. I have no doubt 

 that Where the labor is performed by the far- 

 mer himself, and those facilities adopted which 

 expetience and the usual attention of practical 

 farmers would suggest, that a complete thorn 

 itedge might be formed, iu sis or seven years, 



farmers, in this neighborhood, are of the 

 same opinion. The prejudice which was very 

 strong in this vicinity, againt the success of the 

 experiment, is in a great measure removed. — ■ 

 Several farmers have declared themselves sat- 

 isfied. One or two have determined to com- 

 mence a course of hedging as soon as plants can 

 be procured, and have actually taken measures 

 for this purpose. 1 mention this fact, because 

 the opinions of intelligent practical farmers 

 are justly of more weight with practical 

 farmers, than are the opinions of men whose 

 habits of life do not lead them to a direct par- 

 ticipation in the labours of agriculture. 



The course best to be adopted, having re- 

 ference to the economy of labour, is thought 

 to be the f'ollo;ving : 



Plough the hedge course six feet wide. Plant 

 the wiiole course one year to potatoes. This 

 pays for the labor as much as other land thus 

 planted. Set the thorns eight inches apart. — 

 This is near enough in a country like this, where 

 hogs are not permitted to run at large, and 

 makes a considerable saving in the labour as 

 well as the cost of the plants. Keep both sides 'of 

 the hedge planted to potatoes, during the whole 

 six years in which the hedge is coming to per- 

 fection. The potatoes will nearly pay the cost 

 of the l.ibour. The manure for the potatoes 

 benefits the hedge ; and while hoeing the po- 

 tatoes, keeping the hedge clear of weeds is easy. 

 To keep the hedge clear of weeds, and tofU up 

 the vacancies regularly, in the spring of every 

 year, imth plants of the same age with those of the 

 original hedge, arc the two essential objects 

 of attention after the hedge-course is prepared 

 and the plants arc set. Younger plants may an- 

 swer, but whoever would make a hedge, in the 

 most speedy & perfect manner, ought to procure 

 at the time of obtaining the plants for the origi- 

 nal hedge, a sufficient extra number to supply 

 all deficiencies likely to occur, through the 

 whole time the hedge is forming; to be kept 

 in a nursery thriving, if possible, a little belter 

 than those in the hedge-course. Experience 

 has satisfied me, that two for every ten planted 

 in the hedge-course, is a number more than 

 adequate for this object. 



In the statement of expense, I have made no 

 allowance (ov protecting fences. Where these are 

 necessary, their expense must be added. In my 

 experiment, by excluding cattle, the necessity 

 for them was obviated. Whatever these may 

 cost, the economy of this species of fence, 

 when its durability is taken into view, (to say 

 nothing of its ornamental nature,) must be sufli- 

 cieiitly apparent. 



Very respectfully, 



1 am your humble servant, 



JOSIAH QUINCY 

 QiitJiC!/, June 25, 1813. 



From the Portland Statesman. 



SUREST METHOD OF DESTROYING CATERPIL- 

 LARS. 

 Early in the season take a pail on your le't 

 arm ; a tin one is best, for the vermin will not 

 one of them crawl up its sides; go with a light 

 ladder, were you cannot reach them from the 

 ground ; take them when they are in their 

 nests; hold your pail underneath, if you can, to 

 prevent the caterpillars from scattering on the 



