The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-02-18
Written for the COURIER.
A Chapter on Hedge Growing.
BY ISAAC II. PAGE.


A Chapter on Hedge Growing.
BY ISAAC II. PAGE.
l am often Intercepted on the
subject of Hedge Growing--(as tho
/ knew how it was dono!) Now, |
don't claim to be hedge grower, but
have had some experience; have read,
and observed good-deal of what
others have said and done, and trust
I have profted by their experience.
I have been cminently successful
myself. perhaps my experience may
be Of some profit to others. If SO,
all shall charge them is to make it
known through the columns of the
COURIER by furnishing for rublica-
ton their experience on that same
subject. And, ny the-way, brother
Farmers, why not accept the oppor-
tunity SO often and generously Offer
ed by the publishers of the COURIER
of its columns through which to OK
change ideas, and make known our
experiencc2 Why keep our lights
under bu,hel longer? There could
be nothing published in its columns
that would interest mo so much as
the experience of my brother farm
ers here at home. The first thing l
do on picking up my paper is to look
for communications from Farmers or
Horticulturists OF my own county,
and am sadly disappointed if l don't
find one.
My first experience commenced
with 600 plants, seven years ago the
coming Spring. | set the plants 8
inches apart in the row, in we'll pre-.
pared ground; cultivated them as
we'll as l would a row of choice corn
the consequence was they nearly all
grew. The first winter I covered
them with coarse manure; in tho
spring parted it to either side, thus
acting both as mulch and manure.
l had heard of bending down and
covering the tops with dirt: l tried
it, but met with such poor success
that abandoned it, and got heavy
corn knife and cut the plants off close
to tho ground, but not so close as to
cut into any of the red bark then,
with two horse pillow, l back.fur.
rowed the dirt to the row, and kept
it well plowed and hoed through the
summer; covered it again in the win.
ter, Gan unnecessary job the second
winter, butindispensable for the first).
The second and third years l clipped
the young shoots twice each summer,
in June and Septcmber,-since then
once year, and just as tho young
growth begins to ripen, always aim
ing to cut about six inches higher
each time, until the hedge got about
four feet high, and then keep it as
near that height as possible. and not
over three feet at the base. This has
for three years past been SO nothing
would cross it-unless it had wings.
have about mile OF hedge row,
Of two years growth-the plants set
from four to sixteen inches apart, to
experiment with.
Some prefer what is termed the
"splashing process" and some clip.
ping. | thought I would try both
and decide for myself, but have de.
cidcd it already before splashing a
plant, and in setting a hundred miles
of hedge would not set the plants
more than six inches apart, cut them
off near the ground the first fall
Cutting them in the fall just before
the wood hardcns checks the growth,
helps to ripen the wood, and makes
the plants easier TO cover. The rev
growth will kill to near the ground
in winter, and is much better to cut
off IN fall than spring, and is easier
done. l can, with a moving scythe,
cut the length ofan ordinary step at
each stroke. Some object to cutting
the tops off in tho fall, having made
the fatal mistake of cutting too early,
SO the plants took second growth
and made the matter worse than if
it had been let alone. Some say, by
the clipping process, when the hedge
becomes old the plants will shed their
lower limbs, thus leaving an open
hedge; but think any one who will
take the pains to examine my hedge
will be convinced to the contrary
People take it for granted, by seeing
the old hedges through the country
open at the bottom that others would
DO the same, not taking into consid-
GRAFTON chat the plants were set from
twelve to eighteen inches apart and
allowed to grow five or six years be-
fore topping, and then cut off as high
as the hedge should be when finished.
When cut off the stump would send
out dozen or more shoots which
were allowed to grow at random and
as much as they pleased, thus shad-
ing what few lower branches there
were on the stems causing them to
die and drop of, when it should have
been clipped near the ground and
carried up by degrees, say six inches
at each clipping, which would cause
The plants to branch at the bottom
instead of the top. All the splashed
hedges l have seen the plants after
few years die and leaves lot of
dead brush in the hedge, causing it
to be an eye-sore to the thrifty farm.
ers, and when rotten, leaves an open
hedge. And as to "lopping," (cuttirg