HEDGES. 
People who have never been in the far inland moun¬ 
tain region of Pennsylvania, cannot imagine what at¬ 
tractive fences they make from the stumps of trees. 
Here we bum them. There the stumps are pulled out 
and placed on the fence line, the roots to the road. The 
gnarled roots make an impassible barrier, and would 
not be considered attractive in themselves, but the wild 
Woodbine, wild Hop, and other thrifty vines, are planted 
alongside and in the deep hollows of the roots. The 
consequence is, in a little while, they are one mass of 
verdure. At the gate-ways, large wooden posts are set 
to hold the gate. These have the half of a small keg, 
painted red, on their top filled with the hardy English 
Ivy, and the whole makes as beautiful a fence as can be 
found, and gets rid of the stumps in a very practical 
manner. 
Stone Fences. 
Every one has seen the common stone fence, made by 
piling up the loose stones found in the fields. I believe 
no one ever called them pretty, yet when over-grown 
with Ivies, Wistarias, etc., nothing could be more attrac¬ 
tive. 
Barbed Wire Fences. 
Barbed wire fences are now to be found everywhere, 
and they are not unsightly. But I have seen them 
greatly beautified by twining over them the many- 
colored, sweet, flowering Peas, Morning-glories and Cy¬ 
press Vines. These vines being annuals must, of course, 
be planted each Spring, but the Trumpet Honeysuckle 
makes a good, permanent beautifier. 
Mulberry Hedges. 
As silk culture is becoming the rage now, a fence 
made of two rows of barbed wire and a row of Mulberry 
seedlings or cuttings placed on the inside of this, would, 
in a year, make quite a pretty hedge, as the foliage is 
rich and glossy. Fifty feet of such hedge, would, the 
first year, feed one thousand silk worms, and the second 
year twice as many. This hedge would not require the 
careful cutting of osage, orange or pine, and would be a 
source of much profit, as well as an attraction. 
Quince Hedge. 
The Cydonia, or Japan Quince, as commonly called, 
also makes a very substantial hedge. The leaves are a 
deep, shining green, and for many weeks they present 
one mass of showy flowers. A beautiful effect is pro¬ 
duced by planting both the scarlet and white varieties 
alternately. If allowed to spring up in many shoots 
from the ground, and are well trimmed, they make 
so close a hedge, that, in a little while, a fence could 
be dispensed with. 
Tea Hedge. 
In the South, that is, as far south as Kentucky, a Tea 
hedge could be made. This tea grows wild in some 
parts of the South, but was originally brought from 
Japan. It is cured and drank by the poorer people 
where it grows, and would make an excellent tea if 
cured by the Chinese process. It looks much like the 
Camellia, and is a beautiful evergreen. It tastes like 
English breakfast tea. 
L. Capsadell. 
THE WONDERS OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 
NO. IV. 
DO PLANTS THINK ? 
In tracing the analogy between Animals and Plants, 
some of the most striking characteristics are manifested, 
and strange conclusions are unavoidable. The more we 
study plant life, the more we become convinced that 
life is a unit, varying in form only, not in principle. 
Everything capable of reproduction, growth, or develop¬ 
ment is governed by the same law. That law or principle 
is life. 
That plants think, or manifest any power analagous 
to what is termed instinct in animals, and the human 
reason or understanding, is not generally supposed; in 
fact it is a subject but little understood. Seldom do we 
see a person with sufficient courage to assert such a 
belief in opposition to the prevalent, popular opinion to 
the contrary. The close observer of the habits of plants 
daily witnesses many manifestations of intelligence in 
their search for food; in looking for support, if climbing 
plants; in their persistent efforts to have their own way 
in the performance of duty, and more particularly in 
the mann er of selection of the sexes—all of these show¬ 
ing plainly that if plants do not think for themselves, 
some one must think for them, which makes the analogy 
between them and many men almost perfect. 
Plants have, to the full extent of their necessities, a 
power of observation, of discrimination in the selection, 
of their food, a knowledge of where it is to be obtained, 
and the power, to a considerable extent, to obtain it. 
For instance, bury the carcass of an animal in the gar¬ 
den, say twenty feet from the nearest grapevine, the 
vine will know it, and the underground part of the 
vine will at once change its direction, and make a direct 
march for this-new storehouse of food, and upon reach¬ 
ing it will throw out an almost incredible number of 
roots for the consumption of the food. Let us say here 
that it is a mistake to suppose that all the underground 
portions of a tree or vine are roots; they are simply 
branches. The white delicate fibres put forth in Spring 
at the same time the leaves grow on the branches in the 
atmosphere, are the true roots; they contribute to the 
support and growth of the plant by the food which. 
