The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-02-03
Agricultural.
Hardness OF the Usage Orange.

The opinion has been for some years
gaining ground that the Usage orange
win prove sufficiently hardy for hedges,
except for the extreme northern portion
of the Union. There are, however, not a
few who are still In doubts; not having
had sufficient opportunity for learning
all the facts In the case. One principal
reason for these doubts is the fact that the
limited experiments that have been made
were performed under the most adverse
circumstances. A single plant, for in
stance, is procured and planted in the
richest soil, because it is rarity. The
highcultivation it receives induces large,
vigorous, and sueculent growth, prevent
ing proper ripening of the wood in au-
tumn, and, as inevitable consequences,
subjecting it to destruction by winter
frost. We have recently had occasion to
observe the difference in result between
such treatment as this, and the reverse,
which strongly exhibits the influence Of
growth in hardness. A portion of a
hedge grows in low place, where the
peach crop is killed on an average In half
the seasons; but the soil on which it
stands is dry and rather sterile gravel,
and as no cultivation has been given it,
Its growth, being retarded by weeds and
grass, has been not more than two feet In
a single season. We could not discover
that in any case more than taeo inches of
the tips of this growth had been destroy
ed by the past winter, which all will rec
ollect was remarkable for its severity and
unfayorable effects. On hill forty feet
higher, where the peach crop escapes
more than three fourths of the seasons, a
few plants were growing in a very deep
andrich soil !; and their growth, being as
sisted by good cultivation, was some sew
en- feet annually. About three fourths
of each shoot, and in. some cases nine
tenths, has been killed-the dead branch
es being often .Jsve or siz feet long. So
much for the difference between rpened
and unripened wood, or slow and rapid
growth.
Now, we would not have you infer from
this that we recommend poor soil and
neglected cultivation for hedges. On the
contrary, it is of the greatest importance.
A strong growth must be impaired to the
young plants at the outset, in order that
they may become firmly rooted, which
will enable them to pass through the first
winter Gar more safely and securely than
if feebly fixed in the soil, even if the part
above ground should have happened 10
be killed down This killing down would,
in fact, be no detrimenta at all forno good
hedge can be formed unless shorn down
when young, to promote a thick growth
at the bottom, which would be thicker
and better from strong root than fee
bic one. As the hedge advancesin height,
less of it viii be killed back, and in no
ease no more than should be sheared of
for its proper growth. A full formed
hedge, on account of Its denseness, viii
protect itself, at the same time that It's
moderate degree of thrifiness viii cause
a thorough ripeness of tic wood. All
these causes operating together, render
the Usage hedge amply sufficient to en-
dure the coolest winters in most localities
in the northern States, especially wher-
ever the peach crop commonly succeeds;
and We are inclined to think that, when
once established, it may answer the pur-
pose out of frosty valleys, even in the ex-
treme northern parts of the country
Country Gentleman.