CHAP. II. HEDGES. 27 



HEDGES. 



A hedge is sometimes employed for a boundary to the garden, 

 instead of a wall, for which, however, it is not a very efficient 

 substitute. Without constant attention it soon gets out of order ; 

 either looking unsightly from being overgrown with weeds, or 

 rendered unserviceable from becoming filled with gaps. 



One of the plants more commonly grown than any other, 

 perhaps, for a hedge is the Agave Americana. This is in itself 

 a noble-looking plant, and has a fine effect used as a fence, if in 

 vigorous growth and kept clean of weeds. It is perfectly 

 impenetrable by cattle, and, from the lowness of its growth, in 

 no way impedes free ventilation. 



Parkinsonia aculeata and Caesalpinia sepiaria are shrubs 

 armed with powerful thorns, have small-leaved foliage, and, 

 when kept closely clipped, form neat impenetrable hedges. 



When a wall is too low of itself to render the garden secure 

 from depredation, plants of the Nicker-tree (Guilandina 

 Bonduc), trained upon it, render it at once an utterly impassable 

 barrier. 



Acacia modesta, a common shrub in the Upper Provinces, 

 called there Phulaee, forms also a very neat and pleasing hedge. 

 ^Eschynomene Sesban (jait) is very often employed also as, a 

 hedge in the Upper Provinces, on account of the rapidity of its 

 growth ; but it is very unsuitable for the purpose, as, though 

 rather neat and pretty the first season after it has been raised 

 from seed, it becomes worn out and unsightly a season or two 

 afterwards. 



Hedges that are required not so much for a. fence as for 

 separating one part of the garden from another, may be made 

 successfully of nearly any kind of shrub of quick ready growth, 

 and of small delicate foliage. I have even seen Casuarina 

 muricata, cut down to the height of six feet, and kept constantly 

 clipped, afford a close, dense hedge of most agreeable, soothing 

 character. 



For a low, neat, fresh-looking hedge, perhaps no plant is 

 better adapted than Lawsonia alba (Menhdee) or Duranta. 



The Dodoncea has been much sought for of late as a hedge- 

 plant ; but it is no novelty. In the garden of my neighbour, 

 Brigadier F. Young, at Ferozepore, I saw it employed for that 



