EVERGREEN HEDGES. 329 



with thoroughly decomposed vegetable refuse, should be used, in order 

 that the young trees may get well established. An avenue of striking 

 effect may be formed by alternating the Wellingtonia with the Araucaria, 

 of which there is a good example at our Coombe Wood Nursery. 

 (See "Woodcut). The Araucaria may be also alternated with the Deodar 

 with fine effect. The Cedar of Lebanon is open to objection on 

 account of its sombre aspect and want of uniformity in outline; it 

 is also of comparatively slow growth, so that a considerable period 

 of time ^is required for it to become effective. The Mount Atlas 

 Cedar may be advantageously substituted for it on chalk soils and 

 in exposed situations. Very formal avenues may be planted with 

 Thuia Lobbi, Cupressus Laiosoniana, O. nutJmensis, and Libocedrus 

 decurrens, all of which require much less room than the trees of the 

 Fir and Pine tribe, and may, therefore, be employed where the space 

 is limited. 



V.— EVERGREEN HEDGES. 



The Coniferse include some of the best subjects for the formation 

 of evergreen hedges that are intended for ornamental as well as 

 for useful purposes. Very handsome hedges can be made with the 

 following kinds, all of which have been proved to withstand for 

 years without injury, the severest tests of our climate, Oedrus deodara 

 and Betinospora obtusa alone requiring a situation not exposed to 

 the north-east; and the latter, as well as the Thuias, preferring a 

 moist soil: — 



Cupressus Lawsoniana 

 „ nutkaehsis 



Juniperus chinensis 



Taxus baccata 

 Cedrus deodara 

 Thuia Lobbi 

 Biota orientalis 

 Retinospora obtusa 

 Thuia occidentalis 



„ virginiana 

 „ „ argentea 



Abies excelsa 



The common Yew forms the strongest, the most durable, and the 

 most impervious hedge of any Coniferous tree. For protective purposes, 

 the Yew hedge is unsurpassed, and ' if less ornamental than hedges 

 formed with the other plants named above, its deficiency in this respect 

 is more than counterbalanced by its utility. To form a Yew hedge of 

 medium height, that is ' to say from * 6 to 8 feet, the plants should be 

 set at -a distance of 12 or more inches apart, according to the age and 

 size of the plants used. 



The Deodar forms a highly ornamental hedge. The annual cutting 

 to which it must be subjected to keep it within the prescribed width, 



