212 



THE HAWTHORN. 



This raising of Thorns for profit is a comparative- 

 ly modern occupation. Evelyn being the first to 

 tell us of a gentleman who had considerably 

 improved his revenue by sowina' Haws only, and 

 raising nurseries of Quicksets, which he sells by 

 the hundred far and near/' In the first year 

 of their growth, the seedlings attain the height 

 of from six to twelve inches, and during the 

 two or three following years increase at the 

 amimal rate of from one foot to three feet : after- 

 wards they grovr more slowly till they have 

 attained the height of from twelve to fifteen feet, 

 when the shoots are produced principally in a 

 lateral direction. This peculiarity, added to the 

 rigidity of its thorns, makes it so valuable for 

 the purpose above-mentioned, the denseness of 

 its side-branches being greatly promoted by fre- 

 quent prunings of the upward shoots. In order 

 to ensure an uniformly dense hedge, the best phm 

 is to plant three or four-years-old trees in two 

 rows, about a foot or a foot and a half apart, and 

 in the following season to cut them down with- 

 in an inch or two of the ground. If kept clear of 

 weeds, they will make numerous strong shoots 

 during the succeeding year, and soon form an 

 impenetrable barrier. Hedges of this tree will 

 stand the :?ca-breeze better than most others ; 

 but still are far from being uninjured by their 

 rude visitor, for 



Where from sea-blasts the Hawthorns lean, 

 And hoary dews are slow to melt," 



the side most exposed to the weather may fre- 

 quently be observed rounded ofi' as neatly as if by 

 the gardener's shears. This efiect is produced by 



