S34 Madura Hedst Culture 



regulated to any depth. If kept sharp it cuts the roots smooth, 

 and leave the plants standing, but easy to pull up and assort a 

 the same time. The plants may then be tied in bundles of one or 

 two hundred, witli willow shoots. Tliey must bo buried belmn the 

 frost in dry ground. 



Plants may be kept secure through winter, closely packed in 

 the cellar with moist soil or old sawdust, and covered with mat- 

 ting. They must not be permitted to freeze or dry through win- 

 ter, nor to be soaked in water, if buried out. 



After freezing weather is over in the spring, the plants arc t« 

 be taken out and carefully assorted with reference to their size 

 and vigor — without this \)VQQ.i\.\\i\on, uniformity of growth, the most 

 indispensable requisite in hedge culture, cannot be secured. When 

 assorted, keep the classes separate, make a thin mortar of clay, 

 thickened a little with old, leached ashes ; dip the shoots in this, 

 next lay them in a sloping trench, cover them securely, leaving 

 the tops out ; water if necessary. In this condition they may 

 remain till vegetation commences, when they are ready to plant. 

 Tliere is an advantage in starting plants in this way before set- 

 ting, but in TW case must the roots be permitted to dry. 



The ground whereon the hedge is to be set, should be plowed 

 deep in the fall previous, the strip should be ten or twelve feet 

 wide, the furrows thrown outward, finishing with a deep furrow 

 straight in the line of the hedge row, and left to the action of the 

 frost, but on rolling ground, side furi'ows should be formed at 



._^ short intervals, to turn out 



*' - the water, and prevent wash- 



=vt . ing. Early in Spring, harrow 



iS-^^i&! _ the ground ; if clodd}^, plow 



'^M^kpi0' ^^^^' ^^^■^^^"^S" the furrows 

 vji. 'ji %^-_ inward, and thus forming a 



APPEARANCE OF HEDGE SECOND YEAR, dccp mcllow bcd or bordor : 

 for the planting, which, however, should be allowed to settle for 

 some days before the hedge is set, on low or damp ground, raise 

 the bed a foot high, or more, and six feet wide. Various methods 

 and implements are used in setting hedges, as with the spade, 

 the transplanting trowel, the dibble, etc. It matters little which 

 method is used, but if you would plant well, you must obey implicit- 

 ly the following injunctions : Use nr> plant, tbat is not in perfect 



