Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-09-11
From the Horticulturist for September, 1916.
REM ARKS ON HEDGES.
BY WIN. R. PRINCE. FLUSHING, L. I.

From various considerations the public atten-
ton has 'boan of late years called to the forma-
ton of fences com ,oscd of living trees or shrubs
AMI | therefore venture some conn, nts on this
subject.
In Europe, where the forests are oflimited en-
tent, in com parrison with the demands made up
on them for building houses, ships, &c, a great
degree OF economy is necessarily exercised in
their use and preservation. For this reason, for
est trees are there bit little used for fencing and
bitches, cmbarkments, and live fences, have
been adopted for the formation of lines of su3li-
vision between fields and estates, and for the
boundaries of roads, &c.
In our own country, where the forests afford
a superabundlnce of timber, we have made a
general use OF that article, in various forms, for
our fences. Bat however cheap this latter arti-
Gle may be with Us, it is a que Stion whether it is
equally economical with a live fence and it is
certainly very far inferior to it in point Of beauty
and durability.
There are also some sections of our country.
in which even the advantage of superabundtncc
of forests does not exist, and this is so much so
in the prairie states of the West, that the most
importent object to them is the cost of fencing
their lands. Our country is now becoming
wealthy, and very m my persons, even in those
states where forests abound. are in lined t. de-
vote attention as well to the beauty Of their en-
closures, as to the economy OF their arrange
ment.
Few persons can conceive the enhanced beau
" that live hedges iinpart, wlen contrt'tcd with
the gloomy post and rail fences with which our
flrms abound. In England and France, where
live fences are general adopted, they impart, a,
the floral season, a degree of encliantmcnt to the
scene and at all periods, they serve to greatly
enliven the landscape scenery of those highly
cultivated countries. Live hedges also afford
great protection against severe winds, and they
NAV be trim ned 50 as To occupy as little or As
much space as suits the proprietor.
IN England, the Hawthorn is most generally
planted fr this purpose ; and the snowwhlt
flowers of the ordinary variety, interspersed h r.
and there with a tree Of the pink and the Grim sor
Hawthorn-tnese latter being allowed to rst
above other portions Of the hedge-impart Il de
gree Of beauty that can scarcely be surpassed
The Italian Privet is a more beautiful shrub f.
a hedge than the Hawthorn, ana in France is ia
more generally adopted for this object. 1t
growth is much more rapid its foliage myrtle
like and beautiful and It's spikes of the snow
white blossoms, rising amid the luxuriance o
foliage, neat and chaste in the extrem.. 1t ha'
also the advantage of being Il s~ubcvergrccn
holding its foliage very late, and in mild climates
during nearly the whole winter. Asthe lIiw
thorn produces its flowers in May, and the Prive
in June. it would be a pleasant arrangement t
form a hedge composed of sections of each.
The Buckthorn is much used for hedges il
the vicinity of b lston and Salem, and is wei
suited to the object. The Miclura or Osag,
Orange, is used for the same purpose in the vi
cinity of Philadelphia and south of it but, bein!
a southern tree, it will not be found appropriate
for the nOrtherH and eastern states.
The Pyraca ltlia, "A subevergreen, is perfectly
hardy, and forms a beautiful hedge, blooming i
Nav. with flowers assimilating to those of tn
Hawthorn. and clad in autumn and winter wit
nrof,se clusters of scarlet berries, which hav
entitled it to the cognomen of burning Bush.
Evergreen hedges, Of the most beautiful des
criotion. are formed of the Arbor Vita, the Amer
lean. Siberian and Chinese species being use
for this purpose. They firm, after a few years
most admirable APPENDICES to pleasure ground
and may be used to equal advantage for felds G
anv extent. The American and Siberian spe
cies being the m,st h irdy, are the most apprc
prilte for ATTITUDES north of New-fork; bat /
The vicinity Of New York, the Chinese flourishe
admirably.
Thu Swedish and the Irish Juniper form fin
evergreen hedges; and even the common lie
Cedar may be used for the sane object; but tn
hedge is not, in either case, equal in beauty I
those of the Arbor Vita. The Norway Spruce
an exceedingly robust and hardy tree, forms
beautiful hedge, and is admirably suited to tn
northern and eastern states.
The different species fthe xylostenm, or W
right Honeysuckle, are very hardy shrubs, an
will form very neat declduoas hedges ior Ia
Nortb, or any section of the Union and for tn
vicinity of New-York, and all the region sout
If il. the Euonymus, or Strawberry. Tree, TIN
Althea frutex Of different varieties, the Syrlng
md lilac of different species and varieties, tn
Snowb,ll and the Deutzia scabra, may be USED
md are almost invariably of rapid growth =,
For the prairies of the West and for the sub
division Of lands, where the space occupied b
,ho hedge or living fence would be deemed o, lii
,is ;mnortance, the most rapid growing trees ar
the Honey Locust, Geduschia iriacanhus, an
the Yellow Locust, Robiua pseudacoo'0. TheS'