The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-08-04
The Treatment Of Young Hedges.

OF late years discovery has been
made in the treatment of hedges, of
supreme importance. 1t was the uni
versal advice, and the general practice,
to cut the plants to the ground at plant
ing, and this part is still right. But the
practice went further The following
summer the growth was cut back TO
make the shoots sprout, and perhaps the
succeeding winter they were cut again.
and next summer and winter, and so On;
but this we know is all wrong. Not on
ly is il wrong so far as the making Of
good stout hedge is c oncerned, but il
took great deal of money and labor to
attend to it; and it was very natural for
the farmer TO say that labor was his
great bugaboo, and if he was to be con-
tinually bothered in this way he would
rather pay double or treble for lum Der
fence, and be done with it.
Many who keep to the faith in con-
slant trimming in the hedges youthful
period, found to their sorrow that not
wi.hstanding all their labors there would
be holes which would admit dogs, and in
time larger animals, and only those who
had knowledge and skill enough, and
time enough to boot, to look after their
hedges, kept on with this way of making
them.
The ptGShing system followed this. In
this way the plants were allowed to
grow straight up for three or four Yeas
after planting, and then each one cut
half through near the ground and bent
over. This presented series of horizon
tai stems along the hedge line, and
made successful barrier against intrud
ers. Only half cut they live, although
making of course a weakened growth
and from below the cut a lot of sprouts
come up, which help to thichen the
whole mass But although this way ii
much superior to the old fashioned plar
in this, that it involves DO labor for the
first two or three years, the FLASHING it
self is laborious process, and moreovel
the result does not always prove per
feet hedge.
The new plan was foreshadowed in {
speech by the agricultural editor of The
Press at Harrisburg some six years ago
and of which an abstract is given il
Pennsylvania Fruit Growers Society
report 1t was there SHOWN that the ide;
that pruning strengthened a tree wa
wrong. The branches seem to grow NOR
i. vigorous after pruning, it is true; but
, few years of this treatment shows tn
state of affairs. A dozen willows left t.
, grow unpruned will make trunks of en-
, ormous size, and probably last fft
: years; while the same willows annual
: cut down for basket making purpose, di
2 out in twenty FIVE, and hardly ever max
3 trunk more than a foot or so in diane
e ter.
/ Knowing, then, how pruning weakenl
we apply the knowledge to hedge cul
} ture. We want to weaken it after it hs
= been made into perfect hedge, but nc
r before. For few years We desire t
g give it all the vigor possible. This
i obtained by letting it entirely alone. !
this way the roots become very stron
e after a growth of four or five years.
o Then in the winter, or the spring befor
s. the leaves have pushed, we saw or cho
e it off close to the ground. The result
r mass of strong vigorous growth whic
d surprises every one. 1t can be move
/ into shape with scythe the next sun
d mer, and perfect hedge is made
s small cost.-[Thos. Meehan, in Week.
|. Press.