March.] THE NURSERY. 0G7 



and presented to the author. It was esteemed by the Indians for 

 making bows, and hence they called it bow-wood. It ought to be 

 in the collection of every person having trees or shrubbery, as its 

 foliage is extremely rich and beautiful, in which it bears a close 

 resemblance to the orange. The fruit (which is said to be eaten 

 by the Indians) is a large globular ball of a beautiful green colour, 

 composed of a pulpy substance something similar to the orange. It 

 is easily propagated by seed, layers or cuttings, and is now becoming 

 very valuable for hedging, as it is of much more rapid growth than 

 the thorns, and is quite as impenetrable; it is not affected by the 

 drought in summer, and is every way preferable for hedges: they 

 should be planted eighteen inches asunder, or planted as a stand- 

 ard or ornamental tree; it will attain a large size in a short time, 

 and the branches may be trained to form a very pretty summer 

 house. Mr. Duke, of this city, has at his garden (formerly 

 M'Mahon's) a tree under which thirty persons have dined. By 

 recent discoveries in France it has been ascertained that the leaves 

 are equally as good, if not preferable, for feeding the silk worm; 

 and the silk is considered equal in quantity and stronger than that 

 raised on the mulberry. 



Additional Observations on Hedges. 



It is very eligible to mix two or more kinds of plants in any 

 hedge, for they seldom grow equally, and the more vigorous sort 

 will destroy the other; nor is it proper, for the same reason, to 

 plant trees intended for timber among either. 



Should you have a variety of the preceding kinds in forwardness 

 for planting, it would be proper to observe, in the surrounding 

 country, what soil and situation each kind thrives best when 

 growing in a wild and uncultivated state, which will enable you to 

 give to every one its favourite. This will be found of importance, 

 and worthy of being attended to. 



The European white thorn does not thrive well in a dry gravel or 

 sand, nor in a cold spuey clay; a good strong loam is its favourite. 



When young hedge plants of any kind become stunted and hide- 

 bound in consequence of the poverty of the ground, &c, it will be 

 proper to head them down to within two inches of the ground, 

 either in the months of October or March, cutting them off' clean 

 and smooth; observing, however, that this is not to be done to one 

 here and there, but to the whole row out of the face, as far as they 

 are in that condition. The summer following they will produce 

 vigorous and prosperous shoots. 



When you have crab hedges, which certainly forms very good 

 and durable ones, you may encourage one vigorous straight shoot- 

 ing plant, at every fifty feet distance, by pruning and cleaning up 

 their stems till out of the reach of cattle, retarding the ascending- 

 growth of the others by annual topping, then they may be grafted 

 with any good kinds of cider apples, and in a lew years will pro- 

 duce fruit in abundance. 



Hedges raised from the pippins of apples may be treated in the 



