FARMERS' REGISTER— HEDGES. 



145 



ment in all hedges — in all countries^ is the ditch 

 and bank. 



The next great difficulty arises fronni the grass 

 and weeds, which are suffered to grow with the 

 young plants, and of course to exhaust the suste- 

 nance, more essential, at this time, to their grow'th ; 

 because of their having, as yet, but few and feeble 

 roots for their support. 



1st. It is therefore recommended to commence 

 the planting of a live fence in October or Novem- 

 ber, when the grass ceasing to grow, would not in- 

 jure the young plants for the first six or seven 

 months. 



2d. That every such hedge, should be shelter- 

 ed by a fence or inclosure lor three years, until 

 the plants shall have acquired strength to support 

 themselves, and bear the injury usual from cr.ttle. 



3d. That the ground be well prepared by plough- 

 ing or hoeing, a space at least tour feet w^de. 



4th. That the plants or cuttings be set out from 

 six to eight inches apart, in two rows, distant 

 from each other about two feet. If seeds be sown, 

 they should be nearer to each other in each trench, 

 to allow^ for failures. 



oth. That the weeds and grass be carefully kept 

 down for two years, by some one no longer valua- 

 ble for field labor, working with a light narrow 

 hoe. 



6th. That all hedges be plashed or wattled as 

 soon as the plants are about Ave feet high. 



7th. That no tree of any description, be suffered 

 to grow within thirty feet of any hedge. 



The practical advantages X)f fencing with the 

 non~descript or Cherokee-rose, have been forcibly 

 pi'esented to the public, by the late Mr. Stephen 

 Elliott, and ]\Ir. R. E. Rowand. If a hed-e be 

 made of this, it will require to be trimmed freely 

 with hooks, to prevent it from growing so thick, 

 as to afford shelter for rabbits, rats, &c. 



But I would suggest the use of other plants for 

 hedges, some of w4iich may be found v/orthy of at- 

 tention, in diiTerent situations and circumstances. 

 The daily rose (^Rosa Canina) is very easily pro- 

 pagated by cuttings, layers and seeds. It is a har- 

 dy, vigorous plant, and in two or three years ac- 

 quires sufficient height and strength to be useful, 

 especially if plashed as all hedges should be. It is 

 preferable to the Cherokee-rose, in this respect, 

 that while it acquires a sufficient growth as early, 

 it never grows beyond u hat is necessary, nor im- 

 poses the expense or trouble of frequent dressings. 

 For ornament, it is, at least, equal to the other. 



The Pomegranate is very easily propagated 

 from cuttings or suckers at all seasons of the year. 

 I do not know any plant which takes root with 

 more certainty. The wood is tough and durable, 

 grows prompUy to a sufficient height emd never 

 exceeds what is proper.' 



The Oranges, either sour or sweet, when sowed 

 *in trenches, would acquire sufScient growth in 

 two or three years, and no animal would'be so 

 daring, as to attempt a passage through its impene- 

 trable barrier. In this way it would bear the 

 frost much better, than in detached stems, and 

 would not grow either so high or so large as when 

 more open and widely spread. It would probably 

 be found in the southern states, as useful as the 

 well-known Lime-hedges of the West Indies. 

 The seeds of the Sweet Orange, may be obtained 

 in great abundance from the decayed oranges, at 

 the fruit shops. 



Vol. 1—19 



The Burning Bush, (Pyracanihus) for this 

 sug-gestion, I am indebted to my friend Mr. James 

 Nicholson, who lias already set out a hedge of this 

 beautiful plant, with the most favorable pros- 

 pects of success. It is not only ornamental, but 

 bushy and thorny, not exceeding the proper height 

 for a hedge, and can scaixely fail of being valuable. 



The Cassina, (Ilex Cassina) if not too famil- 

 iar, would be highly prized for its beauty and du- 

 rability, as an evergreen hedge. When once 

 plashed, it would not require to be repaired or 

 trimmed for man)- years, if ever. To please the 

 eye and give it the uniformity of level and surface, 

 expected near a residence, it may be occasionally 

 drest, but not of necessity. 



The Slow or Black Hi^w, ( Viburnum Prunifo- 

 Hum) one of the prettiest of our many native 

 shrubs, and one of the first to unfold its beauties 

 in the spring, may be propagated from the seeds, 

 or from suckers and layers, or by transplanting 

 from the woods. 



The Haw Thorn, ( Craicegus ParmfoUum) 

 which is found in such abundance in all our old 

 fields and commons, may be transplanted or raised 

 from seed. It is slow in its growth, but not so 

 slow as the Black Thorn of Europe. It is equal- 

 ly certain and effectual in forming a cjuick-set 

 hedge. 



The Crab Apple, (Pijrus Coronaria) is one of 

 the most fragrant and ornamental of plants ; its 

 growth is slow, after having acquired the ordina- 

 ry height of a fence, and it may be propagated with 

 gi-eat ease from seed. It may likewise be trans- 

 planted, but is said to require much care and at- 

 tention to preserve it. 



On the subject of transplanting, suffer me to di- 

 gress, for the purpose of reminding some and sug- 

 gesting to others, that the success of this process 

 may be greatly promoted, and rendered almost 

 certain, by dividing the long horizontal roots of 

 every plant or tree, that you wish to remove, at 

 least a month or two before you contemplate such 

 removal; and, if possible, while the plant is still 

 vigorous in its summer foliage. The object of this 

 early digging round the plant, is to give the oppor- 

 tunity and impose the necessity, for it to throw 

 out numerous fibrous absorbing roots, to supply 

 the nourishment, of which it had been deprived, by 

 destroying the horizontal roots. While the tree 

 remains in its native position, this can be readily 

 done in a month or two, but without this precau- 

 tionary measure, it is exposed to death, before it 

 can obtain sufficient nourishment by means of new 

 roots. Again, I would recommend, that leaves, 

 pine-trash, or moss, be thrown round the roots of 

 plants newly set out, for the purpose of preserving 

 an equal temperature, protecting them from the 

 exhausting, scorching influence of the sun, pre- 

 venting the growth of grass and weeds, and retain- 

 ing moisture about the roots. 



A difficulty may be supposed to exist, in ma- 

 king an entire inclosure, by the impossibility of 

 propagating highland plants, ^vhere the fence should 

 pass through a piece of low ground. Shall the 

 hedge be interrupted in such situations, where of 

 all others, the rail or common fence decays most 

 rapidly ? I think that it need not be interrupted 

 by such a circumstance. I am confident that na- 

 tive plants may be found, well adapted to fencing 

 in such situations. I suggest that the Hazel or 

 Pond Spice, (Laurus Geniculata) may be trans - 



