^BOUNDARIES— NECESSARY AND NE EDLESSgg 



The original idea of the hedge, as indicated by the 

 word, was as a fence or protection. The ancient Romans 

 inclosed their vineyards and their gardens with hedges, and 

 in England we find that hedges came in vogue with the 

 Roman invasion. 



It is in Britain and Italy that we find most commonly 

 the hedge, both as a "living fence," as some one has called 

 it, and as a part of the pictorial design in landscape making. 

 They are not so much used in France or Germany, while 

 Scotland and Ireland have very gradually included them in 

 the landscape features. 



Here in America the hedge has grown slowly in popular 

 estimation among the farmers, because of its cost; not so 

 much its original cost as in the expense of keeping it in 

 proper condition. Comparatively, wire fences are much 

 cheaper than hedges. 



It should be remembered, however, that in California 

 most of our land is too valuable to be treated as we would 

 treat ordinary farming property in other States; also that 

 the running expense of keeping up a hedge is reduced to a 

 minimum, since our hedges may be grown from persistent 

 varieties of plants, and from plants that are free from 

 disease. 



Probably for some time to come we may not hope to 

 see hedges substituted throughout our country districts for 

 fencing. Barbed wire is too cheap and too absolutely 

 practical for us to hope that mere beauty may claim atten- 

 tion with our very practical orchardists and farmers; but on 



[79] 



