March.] THE NURSERY. 2g7 
and presented to the author. It was esteemed by the Indians for 
making bows, and hence they called it bow-wood. It ought to be 
in the collection of every person having trees or shrubbery, as its 
foliage is extremely rich and beautiful, in which it bears a close 
resemblance to the orange. The fruit (which is said to be eaten 
by the Indians) is a large globular ball of a beautiful green colour, 
composed of a pulpy substance something similar to the orange. It 
is easily propagated by seed, layers or cuttings, and is now becoming 
very valuable for hedging, as it is of much more rapid growth than 
the thorns, and is quite as impenetrable; it is not affected by the 
drought in summer, and is every way preferable for hedges: they 
should be planted eighteen inches asunder, or planted as a stand- 
ard or ornamental tree; it will attain a large size in a short time, 
and the branches may be trained to form a very pretty summer 
house. Mr. Duke, of this city, has at his garden (formerly 
M'Mahon's) a tree under which thirty persons have dined. By 
recent discoveries in France it has been ascertained that the leaves 
are equally as good, if not preferable, for feeding the silk worm; 
and the silk is considered equal in quantity and stronger than that 
raised on the mulberry. 
Additional Observations on Hedges. 
It is very eligible to mix two or more kinds of plants in any 
hedge, for they seldom grow equally, and the more vigorous sort 
will destroy the other; nor is it proper, for the same reason, to 
plant trees intended for timber among either. 
Should you have a variety of the preceding kinds in forwardness 
for planting, it would be proper to observe, in the surrounding 
country, what soil and situation each kind thrives best when 
growing in a wild and uncultivated state, which will enable you to 
give to every one its favourite. This will be found of importance, 
and worthy of being attended to. 
The European white thorn does not thrive well in a dry gravel or 
sand, nor in a cold spuey clay; a good strong loam is its favourite. 
When young hedge plants of any kind become stunted and hide- 
bound in consequence of the poverty of the ground, &c., it will be 
proper to head them down to within two inches of the ground, 
either in the months of October or March, cutting them off clean 
and smooth; observing, however, that this is not to be done to one 
here and there, but to the whole row out of the face, as far as they 
are in that condition. The summer following they will produce 
vigorous and prosperous shoots. 
When you have crab hedges, which certainly forms very good 
and durable ones, you may encourage one vigorous straight shoot- 
ing plant, at every fifty feet distance, by pruning anil cleaning up 
their stems till out of the reach of cattle, retarding the ascending 
growth of the others by annual topping, then they may be grafted 
with any good kinds of cider apples, and in a few years will pro- 
duce fruit in abundance. 
Hedges raised from the pippins of apples may be treated in the 
