62 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
The Buckthorn (Riamrnis catharticus) is a strong, 
quick growing platif, and makes a good, close- hedge; it 
is very hardy, and, when properly cut, looks extremely 
well. Botanists agree that it is a native of America, even 
as far north as Massachusetts, as well as of the north of 
Europe and Asia. Its liark and leaf are offensive to in- 
sects, and the borer, which has ruined nearly all the thorn 
hedges in this country, will not touch it. It will grow in 
the shade, and in almost every description of soil. It is 
easily grown and transplanted, of Ions life, has a thicket- 
like habit, has few diseases, and bears sliearing into any 
shape. Its berries, the pulp mashed in a box with a light 
wooden pounder, sifted in water two or three times cind 
then dried, are ready for planting. Dig good garden soil, 
and give it a dressing of manure, and plant them as you 
do peas or beans, placing the seeds two or three inches 
apart. Tliey should be covered about an inch and a half 
deep, and if the rows are three feet apart the horse culti- 
vator may be u^ed to keep the ground in order. One 
year’s growth in strong land, or two in inferor, will make 
a growth that will give you plants fit for transplanting into 
hedge rows. Two seasons of shearing will develop its 
thorns, and commence to reward your Kibors. 
The Buckthorn has been pronounced by those who 
have tried it, of very great utility and beauty, and it cer- 
tainly comes as near to (car wants as anv plant whi.'h has 
yet been introduced. In the Essex (Mass.) Agricultural 
Society’s Transactions of 1<S 12, a correspondent says: “I 
do not hesitate to pronounce the Buckthorti the most suit- 
able plant for hedges I have ever met with. It vegetates 
early in the spring, and retains its ver-dure late in the 
autumn. Being a native plant, it is never injured by the 
most intenae cold, and its vitality is great that the 
young plants may be kept out of the ground, or transport- 
ed to a great distance w'-ithout injury. It never sends up 
any suckers, nor is disfigured by any dead wood, needs 
no interlacing, and is never cankered by unskillful clip- 
ping.” The desideratum for a good defensive, and at the 
same time, highly ornamerital hedge, would seem to be 
solved in the Buckthorn and Honey Locust. The seeds 
are collected atid sold by the Shakers, and could probably 
be procured through the agency of any seedsman. Its 
bark and berries are powerful cathartics. Mixed with 
alum the sap of the berries makes the color known to 
painters as sap green, and the barkyields a fine yellow dye. 
Privet {Li^usf,rumviil<iare). — Mr. Reid's Privet hedges 
are the best we have seen ; he has planted them extensive- 
ly near his house, where they grow freely and make a 
truly beautiful spring, summer and fall hedge, leafing very 
early and retaing the foliage until the end of the year, be- 
ing, in fact, almost evergreen, and truly a treasure. 
The Honey Locust {G'edi/ckia triocanf.hns ) — -This 
plant Mr. Reid has always considered the best for farm 
hedges, and we are di.spnsed to agree with him; after ‘20 
years trial he is satisfied that it is more easily kept and 
better adapted for a farm fpuce than anything that has yet 
been used. When properly cut it looks ns w'ell as any 
deciduous hedge plant that is grown. When rapiditity of 
growth and economy are both desirable, plant them six 
inche.« apart in the row, and let them grow four years 
without cutting ; then crop them all to a height of five feet, 
which will produce a live fence of young trees; with one 
cutting every year, though two would be better, they will 
prove a protection for the life-time of the owner. Planted 
four inches apart they might prove a perfect defence for a 
long time without the shears; but no hedge will long 
answer a good purpose ofany kind withoutat least a care- 
ful annual cutting. The Honey Locust we consider pre- 
ferable to the Osage Orange; in planting the seeds of 
each, care must be exercised to prevent the ravages of 
mice. Both may be sown where they are to grow perma- 
nently. 
[This is a mistake, so far, at least, as the Osage Orange 
is concerned. It is much bett'^r to transplant it from the 
seed bed into the hedge rov/, as it affords an opportunity 
to prepare the ground properly and to assort the plants, 
so that they may be uniform size; not to mention the 
liability of seeds to fail in vegetating in which case, the 
hedge would be full of the most awkward gaps and breaks. 
Transplant from the seed-bed, by all means — Eds. So. 
Cult.] 
Japan Quince (Purus Japonica). — This beautiful plant 
grows very readily from cuttings, [It is much surer to 
grow fro.m layers — Eds. So. Cult j and forms a superb 
hedge. Mr. Reid exhibits about four hundred feet of it in 
the highest perfection, a portion of it well grown, about 
four feet high; it forms not only one of the most beautiful 
flowering hedges, (there being very few hedge plants that 
flower when cut,) but it is also one of the most valuable 
and close defences of any plant yet tried. Interspersed 
with a few running roses, such as tlie Multifiora or 
Prairie, it will produce the most ornamental of sjceens. 
No one who has not seen it can properly estimate its^great 
value. 
Bceeh, Hornbeam and Hiv'iliorn hedges may also be 
seen at Mr. Reid’s in a highly ornamental state, and each 
of these plants is deserving of attention. The French em- 
ploy them, as well as the Elm, with great effect. 
Arbor Vit® (Thuja occidentalis). — For an evergreen 
ornamental hedge, the Arbor Vitee i.s extremely valuable; 
for a screen to protect particular plants of a garden, a hot 
bed, &c.., it lias no rival; the American is the only one 
suitable for this latitude and further north. It makes a 
superb hedge, and is of rapid growth; purchased young, 
it is economical. It is offered every spring, from JMainc, 
at one cent a plant for oneyear old seedlings, is easily re- 
moved from a distance, and, with the single slight objec- 
tion of its getting somewhat brown in mid-winter, is 
among the most desirable for an American ornamental 
hedge. It will acquire great beauty even without any 
use of the shears, and is altogether less troublesome than 
anything we know. Other Thujas, especially the Strictaf 
are also valuable. 
The Hemlock (Pinus Cavn,densis').—0^?i\\ ornamental 
plants for this climate, the Hemlock stands among the 
first in beauty, but like all the most beautiful things ia 
this beautiful world, it is among the most expensive and 
tedious to procure. Growing it from seeds is perfectly 
practicable, but nurserymen have not yet turned their at- 
tention much to its culture. In neighborhoods where it is 
indigenous, the practice is to procure from its native spo« 
one and two year old seedlings, taking great care to bring 
as much of the leaf mould and earth with them as possible 
and never to allow the exposed roots, if there should le 
such, to beceme dry. Plant (not too deep) at once, either 
in doulde or single rows ; the latter is sufficient — shad* 
and mulch with stones, and in three or four years, with 
occasional trimming in June and August, you will begin 
to be rewarded by the most exquisite tints of anything 
grawn for this purpose. Great care must be exercised, as 
in all hedges, to give the proper tapering form to the niaea. 
We can show, in this neighborhood, specimens of the 
Hemlock hedge that will defy criticism ; unfortunately it 
is not a defence from cattle. 
The Juniper (Juniperis communis), treated as a hedge 
plant, is highly ornamental, almost equal to the above, hot 
is more transient, and is apt to get too thick, and without 
much care to die out in places; this the Hemlock rarely 
does. The Juniper is only adapted to the Middle States. 
As a single coned shrub, well cared for, opened every 
year, and cleaned of its fallen leaves which collect iit its 
centre, it deserves a place in every garden. 
