The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-03-10


leaved perianth, which is bell shaped;
six stamens, the filaments dattened
broadcast at the top, and three
celled ovary. In Y. gloriosa, one OF
the statliest of the species, the crown
leaves become elevated on stout
stem, and the panicle is three feet or
more in length, branching out on
every side. Another species, Y.
filamentosa, also affords fiber which
may be used in the manufacture of
cloth or cordage of great strength
and beauty
THE PREPARATION OF A HEDGE ROW.
The first step toward establishing
a permanent hedge is the removal OF
a fence at least ten feet on the out
side of the line you wish to set, the
plants, and repairing it in such a
manner that they may be secure
from goats and sheep for a term of
say three years. All saplings should
be cut down and the ground thor
oughly grubbed of roots that may
intersperse after cultivation, which is
about the same as corn or potatoes.
A straight furrow should be, run
and the soil thrown to the center,
leaving a space of at least five feet
on each side. This blowing should
be done several months ahead, that
the ground may be completely sub
dued, and left III fine health. This
can be accomplished in about three
plowings. After each it should be
thoroughly narrowed. At the last
blowing the subsoil plow should toll
lowed Immediately after, to obtain a
greater depth OF soil which will assist
materially in setting out the plants
and prevent the i'll effects Of a
drought.
After the plant bed has been
thoroughly prepared and before the
ground has a chance to settle line
should be stretched through the cen
ter of the hedge row. The scions
should be cut about six inches in
length, and kept in a moist place
until wanted. When everything is
ready they may be dropped along
the line, the planter following and
sinking them in the soil, leaving the
top bud just above the surface OF the
ground, pressing the earth firmly
about the plant with the feet. If
the spreading is done at the proper
season and the soil properly pre-
pared, every one will grow. We
might also state that rich soil is bet.
ter than a poor one, and to obtain
the best results, if it is not naturally
fertile, it should be made so by the
application of fertilizers such as muck,
we'll rotted barnyard manure, ashes,
or, what is excellent, phosphate OF
lime, or course ground bones.
DITCH AND BANK HEDGE.
While we are describing the differ.
ent methods OF preparing a hedge
row, what is known as a ditch and
bank hedge might commend itself to
our readers. That is built by dig
ging ditch, say four feet, more or
less, wide at the top and three and
half feet at the bottom, throwing the
earth obtained by the ditch on the
inside, in such manner that levee
or embankment is formed with four
foot base and top three-and-a.half
feet wide, sloping the earth in such a
manner that it will form an embank-
ment from the bottom of the ditch
to the apex, six feet high. On the
surface of the ground, at the base of
the embankment and on the inside of
the field, the cuttings are planted,
which, in due time, say two years,
will over-run the bank and extend its
growth into the ditch. Until this is
accomplished, a single rail, support,
ed by two short stakes, will keep cat:
tie from the crop.
Heretofore, this method has been
very costly, but since the invention Of
of new improved ditcher, by our
friend Capt. Smith, which is capable
of finishing a mile of ditch and bank
per day, it will probably be found
the cheapest and most effective
method OF making a natural fence
known to our agricultural popula-
ton.
And now word, aud we conclude.
Hedge fences are no new thing in
the southwest; but how often do we
see one cultivated and cared for
They are mostly planted without suffi-
cient preparation Of the soil, and after.
ward lett to take care OF themselves.
Pruning may be attended to tor
couple of years, but is, in most cases,
neglected thereafter. The conse-
quence is nearly every evergreen