238 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



disposed to try them as a matter of taste or fancy, we would 

 enumerate the English Jiawtfwrn, beautiful and hardy ; the 

 holly, with an evergreen leaf, handsomely variegated with 

 yellow spots, and armed at the edges with short stiff thorns ; 

 the gorse or furze, a prickly shrub growing to the height of 

 five feet or more, and bearing a yellow blossom. These are 

 much cultivated in Europe as defences against the inroads 

 of animals ; while numerous other less formidable shrubs, 

 like the willow and privet are grown for protection against 

 winds, and when sufficiently large, they serve for cattle 

 enclosures. In America the buckthorn was first introduced 

 by Mr. Derby of Massachusetts, and by him was considera- 

 bly disseminated through the United States, and has proved 

 a hardy thrifty plant, entirely suited to the purpose. The 

 Osage orange grows spontaneously in the southern states and 

 is said to endure a northern climate. Its numerous thick 

 tough branches and thorns, render it an effectual protection 

 to fields. We have fenced with the native thorn of Western 

 New-York, with entire success. The Michigan rose and 

 the sweet briar, both hardy and of luxuriant growth, and 

 some, other species of the native rose, have been tried and 

 proved efficient. The crab apple and wild plum, with their 

 thick tough branches and formidable thorns, (and especially 

 the latter,) with proper training will be found a perfect stop- 

 page against animals of all kinds. The yellow locust and 

 acacia have been sometimes used ; and the wild laurel, an 

 evergreen of great beauty at all times, and especially so 

 with its magniiicent blossoms, would ibiin a beautiful hedge 

 wherever the soil will give it luxuriant growth. There are 

 a variety of other trees and shrubs of native growth among 

 us, which may be employed for hedges, but it is unnecessary 

 to specify them, as each can best select for himself what his 

 judgment sanctions from the known character of the plant, 

 as best suited to his own peculiar soil and circumstances. 



SHADE TREES, 



In such situations and numbers as may he required around 

 the farm premises, are both ornamental arid profitable. They 

 have too a social and moral influence far beyond the mere 

 gratification of the eye or the consideration of dollars and 

 cents. In their freshness and simplicity, they impress the 

 young mind with sentiments of purity and loveliness as 

 enduring as life. From the cradle of iniancy, consciousness 



