On Hedges. 295 



of the country do we see it attempted ; and frequently, 

 after several years toil, it has been abandoned as a hope- 

 less, or at least unprofitable effort. 



One of the great objects of an American farmer 

 should be to compose his hedge entirely of an American 

 plant. — Even if the white thorn, which may be import- 

 ed from England, accorded better with our climate 

 than from the experiments in the vicinity of Philadel- 

 phia, I am inclined to think it does, the difficulties and 

 expence of importation form sufficient reasons to re- 

 ject it. 



I have on a small scale, made several experiments 

 to raise a hedge, strong, handsome, and durable ; my 

 wish was to raise from seed sown on the spot. I tried in 

 the first instance the berries of the common cedar, and- 

 the next year the berries of the juniper, after finding that 

 neither of them germinated, though the ground was well 

 prepared, and care taken to keep it clear of weeds. I 

 made another attempt with the cedar berries; endeavor- 

 ing to prepare them by a treatment assimilated to the 

 process which takes place in the stomach of birds ; 

 who are known to be the great, propagators of these 

 plants. — That is, I soaked them, for four or five hours, 

 in warm water ; then putting them with sand in a bag, 

 had it well shook, rubbed, and rolled for some time, and 

 immediately put the ben'ies in the ground. Of this I 

 tried a furrow of a few yards only by way of experi- 

 ^jient, but was equally unsuccessful. I tried (by advice) 

 the pomace of a cyder-mill in the autumn ; but I sus- 

 pect the field mice, with which my place abounds, de- 

 feated me in this case. The cuttings of the privet suc- 

 ceeded ; but the privet forms rather a screen^ than a 



