ONLIVBFENCES. 93 



eiit year, Doct. George Cogswell, of Bradford ; both his haw- 

 thorn and buckthorn hedges look exceeding well. The Com- 

 mittee recommend that he receive the Society's first premium of 

 twenty dollars. They conceive that any remarks are unne- 

 cessary as his statement is appended. 



For the Committee. 



JOSEPH HOW. 

 Methuen, Nov. 10, 1845. 



GEORGE COGSWELLS STATEMENT. 



To the Committee on Live Fences : 



Gentlemen, — A part of the hedge which I offer for premium, 

 is hawthorn, the other part is buckthorn. 



There are about seven rods of the hawthorn, which was set 

 by me in the spring of 1834. The plants were then two years 

 old, taken from a nursery at Indian Hill Farm, West Newbu- 

 ry, Mass. They were placed six inches apart, without any 

 preparation of the soil. They were cut within six inches of 

 the ground when set out ; the September following, trimmed 

 nearly back to the first cutting ; spring following, in June, 

 trimmed to within eight inches of the last cutting ; again in 

 September, trimmed nearly back to the spring cutting ; and so 

 on from year to year to its present growth, which is five feet 

 three inches high and three feet thick. It is now eight years 

 since the hedge was set ; for the last three it has been used as 

 a fence to my front yard, and has proved an impenetrable bar- 

 rier to any annoyance which might occur from numerous 

 droves of cattle and swine. It has been kept free, from weeds, 

 and manured twice. No plant of the original number has 

 died. During the summer, this presents a beautiful and deli- 

 cate foliage, surpassing that of any other hedge-plant with 

 which I am acquainted. For some seasons, in September, its 

 beauty has been marred by the slug-worm ; besides this it is 

 perfect ; cattle do not browse or hook it. 



The buckthorn hedge was set out in the spring of 1839; the 

 plants were then two years old ; the mode of trimming has 



