18 



GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



aide'of a plank or wire fence, two feet apart, will grow up 

 and cover it in a short time, and effectually repel man and 

 beast; but it requires const-ant shortening in, or it is apt 

 to die out at the bottom, and become unsightly, and is in 

 all respects much inferior to the single white Macartney. 



This is also an evergreen, and very easily grown from 

 cuttings. It is very thorny, and of beautiful foliage. It 

 never dies out at the bottom, whether pruned or not, and 

 is very hardy, and of luxuriant growth. The most satis- 

 factory fence can be made with this, by setting good chest 

 nut or cedar posts, eight feet apart, with their small ends 

 charred, and planted about two and a half or three feet in 

 the ground. Upon this, form the usual paling fenjce, or 

 nail a good wide bottom board, and finish the fence with 

 stout wire, strained through holes in the posts. The wire 

 fence may be four feet high. The roses should be rooted 

 cuttings, and may be planted at first, even eight feet apart, 

 and by layering and training the bottom shoots, if the 

 ground is kept in good order, in three years it will repel 

 every intruder. It is better where plants are abundant, 

 to set them out four feet apart. This hedge requires less 

 pruning than any other to keep it impenetrable. The 

 holly would also make an efficient and beautiful hedge, 

 were it not so difficult to transplant. My own hedge of 

 Macartney rose, where three years old, trained on a com- 

 mon fence of rails and paling, forms a barrier perfectly 

 secure, and very ornamental. 



- Soil. — In our fine climate, the character of the soil is 

 of much more importance than situation or aspect. The 

 mechanical texture is especially to be regarded, as on this 

 depends the proper retention of manure and moisture, 

 There are two grand divisions of soils, heavy and light; 

 which pass into each other by imperceptible gradations. 



