On Hedges, 297 



cleared away : — dug a small trench on each side of 

 the hedge, and inserted gravel and sand in them. — 

 No injury has since been done to the hedge. — It has 

 continued to thrive, — is annually headed down, — pre- 

 sents a beautiful foliage to the eye, and, except in one 

 place where too wide an aperture has been injudiciously 

 left, is without any artificial aid an effectual bar to cat- 

 tle. — Its length is 260 feet. 



This plant though it passes under the general name 

 of locust, is a distinct thing from the robinia ; which is 

 the common locust ; and of which there are several va- 

 rieties. I have four of the latter on my place, none of 

 which would answer for a hedge. — The robinia pseudo 

 acacia^ and the robinia glutinosa, (brought by Michaux 

 from the westward) both of which are liable to be per- 

 forated by insects ; the thornless robinia, which I be- 

 lieve is not a native, and the robinia hispida^ often called 

 the rose acaua^ which is merely an ornament for the 

 shrubbery. 



In the subjects for premiums the white mulberry is 

 mentioned. I tried this plant in 1794 at another place ; 

 but found its growth too slow and desultory, to render 

 it valuable in this point of view. 



There are two other strong objections to it, the want 

 of thorns, and the fondness of cattle to browse on it. 

 The plant selected for this purpose should either be 

 obnoxious to the taste, or defended by thorns ; its 

 growth should be compact and steady ; it should bear 

 the shade, and drippings of trees, which we sometimes, 

 for diiferent reasons, are desirous of retaining in the line 

 of a hedge or near to it. This property is not always 



VOL. II. p p 



