American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-09-18
Hedges for Fencing.


EDITOR CITIZEN The depIora- /
bic condition of the-fencing interest /.
Of this great cotton region is appa-
rent to the most casual observer.
There is not within MY knowledge a
fence proof against the depradations'
of stock, or nearly coming up to the
of the law, except in a
few instances where the expensive
board fencing has been commenced.
Stock of all kinds have become law
less from shore invitations to become
so, dogs worry hogs and mercilessly
tear the flesh of the innocent crea-
lures, cattle and mules are shot with
out stint or limit, and injured in
value by the passionate and reckless
owner of the crops, i'll feeling engen-
dered betvixt neighboring proprie-
tors, and in some instances suits for
damages begun. Wisdom would
dictate that the cause of so much
misery and prospective strife and
animosity, when found out, should
be Immediately removed. But just
here lies all the difficulty. Many
portions of our county have no tim
Der to rebuild fences, and where tim
Der abounds it Is utterly impossible
to procure labor to make rails, either
for love or money, unless at such Il
thnt fhn 1o I'm
afford it. 1t is kind of labor that
the freedmen are very much averse
to. One dollar and d quarter per
hundred and rations is the usual
price, and that not for the fat plump
rail of the old regime, but rather its
skeleton, and the promise of what it
should be. Besides, if good rails
could be had at fair price, the haul
ing, putting up, and annual repair
makes it a very expensive fence,
which we used not to consider i'll en-
pensc, but which now forces itself up
on the consideration of every one.
1t is little if any short of the plank
fence, which | am told by one who
knows-plank at ten dollars per M
now fourteen-will cost about two
hundred and fifty dollars per mile
Now l propose for all this heavy
expense, toll and veNation, the cheap
est and best fence which agricultural
science has vet found out. | mean
the Usage Orange, and pyricanthus
hedge. But little experience has az
yet been had with hedge fencing il
Mississippi. Other States have triet
it largely, aud Illinois, especially, il
one vast net work of live and imper
vious hedge enclosures. Its valu
and cheapness for that State canno
be estimated. Men have grown ricl
by planting and cultivating it unde
contract, and nursery men plant, il
some instances, 800 bushels of see,
to meet the demand. Let the tim
berless planter of Madison county
and Mississippi generally, profit b,
so good an example set by anothe
State and be further reminded, tina
our climate is the natural home G
the hedge plant, and hereFit may l.
grown to perfection, with little labo
and hut small expense.
1t is now nearly twenty years sine
1 introduced and planted the Osae
Orange on my plant ation, and a
though like many others when til
, necessity was not on me, | did ne
profit by the experience obtained,
can speak with entire certainty of il
value, and give a sure and speed
plan by which a good hedge may |
, raised. This may be done in thrt
, years time. And | recommend {
all out side permanent fence
and division fences between neigl
| boring proprietors, the Usage Orans
5 particularly, and for cross fences IL
Pyricanthus. Each is the most val
> able IN its place, and would not e
close a plantation without usil
u both. | have made arrangements /
S get plants for my own use the comm
V winter, the proper time for settir
4 out, and will deliver in Canton. upe
order accompanied by the NONE
Z any number that may be wanted, F;
two dollars and fifty cents p,
thousand, freight included, Whit
will be about fifteen cents. TIL
communication would be too long fl
one newspaper article, were [
write all | have to to say on this SUI
II .iect, and with your permission, NJ
If Editor, will defer the balance, as
d sprouting the seed and growing Il
# plants, planting, training and cult
= walton, for a subsequent number
} your paper.
1t r. G. SAUNDERS.