The Smoky Hill and Republican union. [volume] (Junction City, Kan.) 1861-1864, 1863-09-05
Aaritnltual Gnlunl,r.
The Usage Orange a Success in
Western Kansas.
From the Kansas Farmer.

Western Kansas.
From the Kansas Farmer
AS the columns of the Farmer are
open to all, allow me, for the benefit of
those interested in good and cheap fen
ces, and who is not, to briefly give my
experience in the culture of the Usage
Orange hedge. think all who see my
hedge will admit that it fully fills the
bill for good fence, to the heigth Of
three feet, at which point I have lately
trimmed it. In the spring of 80 I put
ont 100 rods with plants grown by my
self the year previous. The ground
was broken in '58, burrows turned out,
and having the dead furrow where the
hedge row was to be. I plowed the
same way in the fall, and also the next
spring, thus sinking the dead furrow Is
Or 18 inches. I then turned the furrow
in, titled the dead furrow was filed, and
then narrowed all down smoothly. I
then ran furrow, into which I set my
plants, taken from bucket of water, at
an angle Of so of 10 degrees, and
pressed the earth closely about the
plants. This method Of setting is far
better than by using spade, for sever
al reasons. 1t is more expeditions, the
long fibrous roots do not have to be cut
of, nor do TIE ends turn up as when
thrust under spade, and the soil is
more easily pressed about the roots.
The tops should be cut off before set
ting, leaving but two or three buds.
This can be done with a scythe before
taking up, and the plants can be taken
up with sharp pillow run six or eight
inches deep. In the spring of 1860,
with foot adj and a piece of board
sharpened like chisel, to run down by
the plants, l clipped them all off in the
yellow bark, below all the buds, and
the result was that instead of o single
stock from each root, I obtained from 6
to 10, and sometimes Is or 10, thus
forming a good foundation to build up
on. l did not cut again that year in
consequence Of the drouth. In the
spring Of 81 I cut it back within four
inches, and in June within eight inches
OF the ground. In '62 cut back to IL
and 10 inches and this year to "a and
80 inches. 1t is so close that no ami
NAL as large as a half-grown rabbit can
work its way through it. The ground
has been kept loose and free from weeds.
l set about forty-five plants to the rod,
thicker than necessary. Thirty-thre
plants, | should say, are sufficient.
Perhaps | trimmed back closer than
needed after the first year. The great
requisite for a good hedge is to obtain a
thick impenetrable base, and I have
surely succeeded in doing that. It
should, by all means, be cut back below
all the buds the first time. I have seen
hedges bent down and twisted together,
but never saw one made in that way
proof against hogs. -Four or FIVE years
will be required to make q good fence
in this dry climate. All missing plants
should be replaced by strong, thrifty
ones, and not allow any gaps to occur
the first year or two, as it is difficult to
I'LL them after that. My fence has not
cost me to exceed more than 80 cents
per rod.
tiny one with good care and close
trimming can succeed in making a
good fence, and without that no one
will succeed.
would be glad to see in the columns
Of the Farmer, the experience of some
OF our Kansas farmers, who have been
successful in growing the black locust,
and their g modus operandi. y
]. B. QUIMBY.
Clay county, July II, 1863