American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-10-02
OBJ ;fMu t. C5mNen.
Usage oRAEGE HEDGES,


plants from the seed; but the pro |
cess is attended with considerable |
labor, some risk, one years loss Of
time, and is at least doubtful |
economy. The present price of seed
is about one dollar per pound, and,
successfully managed, one pound
will raise u good many plants. But
let us look little mt the process. In
the North, the bags OF seed are
thrown into running water, and suf
fered to encounter the freezes and
thaws of the entire winter season.
This is done in order to soften and
rot the hard crust of the seed, so
that when placed in the ground and
warmed bv the genial rays of tie
sun, the germ shoots forth without
difficulty into the living plant. This
plan would answer equally with us,
but for the want of running streams,
and the changeablenesS of our eli
mate, exposed to-day TO extreme
cold, aud anon to heat ont of season.
A safer plan with us, which l have
practiSed, is the following:
Take u broad bottomed vessel and
place the seed in it, cover them with
fresh, clean well or cistern water,
and set in tue sun. Renew the wa
ser every morning, to prevent sour
ing or fermentation. IN fifteen or
twenty days the germ will begin to
swell and crack the hull, and when
the first sprouts are seen, plant
in a nHrscry, which should he al
ready prepared of rich earth mixed
with sand to prevent baking. And
il the weather is not cloudy and
damp, or raining gentle showers,
YOU must water morning and even
ing, else the swollen seed will dry mp
and perish. Then cultivate as you
would any other crop.
In buying your seed in the market
care and Judgment must be exer-
cised or you may get worthless seed.
Many damaged seed are sent to mar
ket, but not so many now us former
~, owing to improved methods OF
gathering them. Select those OF a
bright, clear color, and not the dirty
brown, as the latter are sure to have
been injured in separating the seed
from the gluey pulp. ln even the
best sample of seed, however, many
faulty ones will be found.
The business of growing hedge
plants ia the North. West is truly
gig mite. The nursery from which |
snail order my plants, planted, last
spring, five bu idred bushels of seed.
aud think they will have fifty mil
lion plants to dispose of next winter.
This Is a huge business, but not une-
DUAL to the demand. And the whole
sale demand has greatly cheapened
the price from what 1t formerly ruled.
At the risk of being Il little tedious,
J will give succi Ictly the manage
ment of Il large hedge plant nursery :
A field of fresh laud, convenient to
n railroad, is selected - generally
rented. as the land is not used twice
for the same crop--and, after being
thoroughly prepared, the seed are
sOwn in rows eighteen inches apart,
End but little cultivation is needed,
AS few nOxiuus weeds make their ap-
pearahce the first year. The seed
planted thick in the drill, the plants
grow but six inches or u foot high
ia one season. In the fall, plUw
similar to our buzzard-sw is fast.
ened to u strong team, placed be.
tween two rows, and run four to six
inches deep, the wings cutting the
tap roots of two rows at once. La.
borers with their hands protected
by stout leather gloves, gather the
plants in punches averaging a Ger
tlin number, shake out the dirt from
the roots, bind the lunches, and they
are ready for market. 1t is aston
isning how near uniformity in mum
Der may be attained by an expert
hand, and the lunches rather exceed
than fall short of the standard.
It would seem evident from what
has gone before, that economy of 4
years time, labor OF cullivating q
nursery, and risk of spr0uting the
seed, does clearly suggest the policy
of buying the plants at the cheal
rate at which they may now be had
That is as stated before at 81 80 pei
thousand. Its cheapness when com
pared with other fences will striking
" appear when give the figures o
each for enclosing and dividing into
lots ec'ion of land. Aud its value
will not suffer i'll comparison Will
any other when / assert as a fac
derived from observation and expe
Hence, that if my directions are fol
lowed in planting and training, {
rabbit cannot pass through it with
out cutting his way.
In enclosing and cutting into &c
acre lots a section of land, ten mile
OF fencing is required. l have III
experience myself as to the cost 0
plank f ing, but Mr.. James Smith
aplanter living near Canton, and {
very reliable gentleman, who put III
two miles of the fence last winter
informs me that it cost him abol
$3.50 per mile, and will have to b.
renewed every 10 years.
Ten good rails will make eigh
feet of fence, or 5000 to the mile
At one dollar per hundred an,
another for hauling aud putting up
value of timber not considered
equal to $l32. and will have to b
repaired every year aud lie set ever
third.
Usage orange hedge Is dollars pc
mile, with n lease of renewal owe
into the next generation, as the pres
ent will not have time enough t
experiment as to its durability.
The account then with each mod
ot fencing for ten miles would stan
thus: Plank $3.50 per mile, 81 800
r ills 1882 per mile, 81 ,320; Hedg
Sl3 per mile, $3.50.
I'll could impress every plantp
in the coutry with the importance @
this subject as thoroughly az ] fee
it myself, the immense number q
nurseries now Offering their plant
for sale wOuld not be Il" lie to suppl
the demand. Year by year ou
countryis being stripped Of its a
ready scant supply OF timber, whic
oil La to L.,