THE THORN. 83 



has exceeded its limits it is a good plan to cut it 

 back, so as to get a new symmetrical head. The same 

 may be done when it has become old and poor. 



In reference to Thorn hedges much may be said. 

 For the first few years after one of these has been 

 planted some careful attention must be paid to the 

 cutting back by closely clipping it, or no good fence 

 can be obtained. It is necessary, after the hedge has 

 been planted one year (or two years at the mostj, to cut 

 it down to within a few inches of the ground to induce 

 a bushy and thick growth close to the ground ; then 

 after a season's growth the young hedge should be 

 clipped on the top, but not much on the sides. After 

 this it is only necessary to run the hedge-shears over 

 the top, taking off a few inches to induce a thick 

 growth ; this must be done annually, two or three 

 times during: the summer growth, until it attains to the 

 desired height, to which it must be kept by summer 

 clipping every year. The same thing applies to the 

 Privet hedge. 



The renovation of old hedges is best effected by 

 cutting them quite down to the ground, or to within a 

 few inches of the surface of it. Cutting out some of 

 the old fence and leaving here and there a long branch 

 to plash down is bad hedge management. 



The Spanish Broom. 



The Spanish Brooms, both the white and yellow, 

 are remarkably beautiful as ornamental flowering 

 shrubs. As detached plants on lawns they present 

 a singular effect when in flower, for being of a very 

 flexible nature they are easily moved by a slight 

 breeze, and when they are in full flower this has a 

 most fairy-like appearance in the graceful wavy mo- 

 tion of the flower spikes. They also form superb 

 four-feet standards, when grafted on the Laburnum, 

 for the lawn. 



The pruning of these Brooms requires some little 

 care— annual cutting back of the dwarf plants being 



