TREES AND SHRUBS . 107 
ornamental, and therefore even when ornament is the chief 
aim the hedge must be so placed that some other purpose 
is obvious. Ornamental hedges are often placed in situa- 
tions where they cannot be allowed to obstruct the view, 
and unless made of shrubs that are naturally of very low 
Russian OLIVE HEDGE — TRIMMED 
growth, they are trimmed back about twice a year with hedge 
shears, a corn cutter, or some other suitable instrument. 
On the farm and at the rural school it is generally better 
not to trim the hedges. 
The kind of shrub to be used depends upon the purpose 
and the location of the hedge. For windbreaks willows are 
commonly employed. For ornamental hedges the buck- 
thorn is the favorite, as it has no superior either from the 
standpoint of beauty or utility. The Tartarian honey- 
suckle, caragana, Russian olive, and lilac are also employed, 
each having its own particular merits. 
Windbreaks. — A good grove of trees near the farm build- 
ings and the rural schoolhouse is both useful and orna- 
