Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-09-27
farm&r's 8eaaing,
From the Carolina Times.
Importance of Live Hedges to our
Farmers.

Importance of Live Hedges to our
Farmers.
This subject is one which must now claim
the attention of our farmers under the new
system of farming, which will hereafter be
inaugurated. Heretofore, the cheapest
fence that could be made throughout the
South was the antiquated zig-zag ten rail
fence with stake and rider, which was lazily
built during the idle winter months around
extensive corn.felds, by innumerable sleek,
well.fed, Cufees. Timber was plentiful,
horses and mules were cheap and easily fed,
and the labor was an item of very little i'm
portance. But now the whole system of
agriculture is changed, and the feeding Of
work animals in the present scanty state OF
the provision crop, aud the hire of laborers
under the new African regime, is q matter
of heavy expense to every planter and
farmer. We will hereafter have small
farms usurping the place of large planta-
tions, and these farms must be tended more
carefully by their owners with improved
agricultural implements, and introducing
more thorough drainage and cultivation to
produce larger crops from fewer acres of
land. In Europe and throughout the North
ern States wood fences have to great de-
gree disappeared, and their places are sup
piled by stone fences and live hedges, as
being more lasting and requiring very little
attention 10 keep them in repair. As our
lower ard middle country is almost devoid
of rocks and stones, We cannot make use of
the former plan, but with very little prima.
ry cost we can plant those hedges which,
in few years, grow luxuriantly, and soon
become impossible BY hogs or cattle of any
description.
This is easily accomplished by running a
small ditch around the yard or field intend
ed for enclosure, which, in the first place,
will greatly improve the land by furnishing
an outlet for all stagnant water then
plant out hedge of the Cherokee rose,
which blooms during the Spring and Sum-
mer and is very thorney, or the Usage
orange, which grows very rapidly and is
easily kept in shape. The following direc'
tlons for planting are given by Mr.. Thos.
Meehan, Germantown, Penn, who has had
long experience in the matter, and furnish
es the plants from his Nurseries for six dol
lars per thousand:
"Set the plants in the Fall Immediately
after the dropping of the leaf, or in Spring,
as soon after Winter is over that the earth
is dry enough to work, in one straight line
the plants six inches apart. Cut them
down to an inch or so from the ground
The following summer do nothing but keep
the strong weeds from smothering them
The second summer do nothing at all. The
winter following cut them to within three
or four inches of the ground. The third
summer, in June, while the shoots are soft,
NOW the top of the Hedge fiat (not touch
ing the side0 about eighteen or twenty
inches from the ground In September of
the same year NOW the Hedge into the
shape of A. The next year it will be
strong enough to turn cattle. 1t will re-
quire moving twice year always after
wards, and a good scythesman will NOW a
mile of hedge in two days.
"Now that plants are again so cheap, the
first cost of an Usage orange hedge is but
trihe compared with the enormous &c
pense of timber fences. Six dollars per
mile per aunum, far less than post and
rail fence which in time requires continual
attention, while this makes fence which
no trespasser can get over, no animal get
through, no aoinds bzo,O do,Om, Jrosts ttroao
ouer, or .freshets a0ash aa0ay, and requires
no new fencing at too dollars rod during
the planters lifetime"
We firmly believe th at the cost of these
hedges are less than that of the common
rail fence at the present prices of hauling
and free labor, and it is matter Of serious
importance to our farmers to awake from
the lethorgy of old notions and examine in
to the new methods and Improvements in
agricultural pursuits, that have been found
useful aud cheapest by those who have al,
ways been compelled to make use of the
system of free labor which we, by the ne.
cessities and results of the late war have
been called upon to adopt. s.