1 55 
On the Growth of White Thorn. 
two, and three years old, from the day they were plant 
ed. — I was so pleased with my success in raising so va- 
luable an article to the farming interest of this kingdom, 
at so trifling an expense, (for it is merely that of cutting 
the roots into lengths and planting them,) that I was de- 
termined to make it known to the world, and could think 
of no better method than communicating it to your socie- 
ty ; and should you so far approve of this method of 
raising thorns, as to think me entitled to any honorary 
reward, I shall receive it with gratitude, but shall feel 
myself amply repaid for any trouble I have been at, should 
you think it worthy a place in the next volume of your 
Transactions. 
The method of raising the thorns from roots of the 
plant, is as follows. 
I would advise every farmer to purchase a hundred or 
a thousand thorns, according to the size of his farm, and 
plant them in his orchard or garden, and when they have 
attained the thickness of my three year old specimens, 
which is the size I always prefer for planting in fences, 
let him take them up and prune the roots in the manner 
I have primed the specimen sent you, from which he will 
upon an average get ten or twelve cuttings from each 
plant, which is as good as thorns of the same thickness ; 
so that you will easily perceive that in three years he will 
have a succession of plants fit for use, which he may if 
he pleases increase tenfold every time he takes them up. 
The spring (say in all April) is the best time to plant 
the cuttings, which must be done in rows half a yard 
asunder, and about four inches from each other in the 
row ; they ought to be about four inches long, and plant- 
ed with the top one-fourth of an inch out of the ground, 
and well fastened ; otherwise they will not succeed so 
well. 
