The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-10-09
Pertaining to Hedges.

slye, and where labor is comparatively
cheap. Many other causes made hedges
popular in England. The owners of
land desired to beautify it as well as to
render it useful. The hedge was an
adornment to the place, as well as
protection against stock The climate
OF the country is favorable to the growth
OF the hedge-plant generally cultivated.
There is seldom lack of sufficient
moisture. Neither the cold of winter
nor the heat of summer is sufficient to
injure the growing plants. Nearly all
the land is well drained. If there is not
good natural drainage, tiles are en-
ployed to carry off the superhuous water.
The hawthorne does exceedingly well
in England. Itmakes complete hedge
1t stops cattle and beauties the prem
ises. The failure of hedges in this
country was due to several causes. The
hedge plant that was most successful
was the Usage orange. 1t was not
adapted, however, toavery wide extent
of country. 1t grows too large in the
extreme south and.is too tender to en-
dure the cold of northern winters. 1t
will not flourish well on land that is not
well drained. A great mistake was
made in the setting out and management
of hedges. The producers of hedge
plants informed farmers that it was
easy to raise the plants and to form a
good hedge. They gave in circulars a
few simple directions. They were use
full in selling the plants, but not in pro-
ducing good hedges. They afforded a
good example of how "a little knowl-
edge is dangerous thing"
knowledge, experience and skill are
all required to make a good hedge and
| to keep it in order so that it will be
serviceable and useful The hedge must
| receive attention at the proper time, no
matter whether labor is required else
where or not. Few farmers who are
engaged in general work will succeed
in making good hedge, even if they
have a suitable plant, well drained
| land, and live where the climate is ia
yorable. They will not be at sufficient
pains to learn how to do the work
/ properly They will allow other labors
to interfere with the care of the hedge.
Ii the hedge needs attention during the
season of planting, sowing, haying, or
harvesting the chances are. that it will
be neglected. The success of hedges
in European countries is largely due tc
the fact that they are set out, cultivated
and pruned by persons who follow the
business exclusively. They often take
contracts to set out, cultivate, ant
prune hedges for term of years, anC
they insure their work. They perform
all their operations at the proper timt
and after the manner of experts. w
have had few professional hedgers il
this country, and for this reason
among others, we have but few goot
hedges. The amount of money tina
has been expended in plants that neve
+, made hedges is enormous. Much tim
as well as money has been wasted
Most of the plants that have been Sc
out have served to distigure the prem
Uses instead OF rendering them beauti
full. Since the introduction OF barbe
wire scarcely any attempt has bee
t made to cultivate hedge plants in thi
country During the past few year
more hedge plants have been uproote
than set out The hedge has served a
, least one useful purpose. The thorn {
the plant first suggested the barb o
the fence wire Persons who call then
selves inventors obtained patents on
design of nature.
1t is likely that the interest in hedge
!, u will be revived at no distant day
f Hedges will be wanted for renderin
n fields beautiful if not for protectin
them from stock. A fiat prairie farl
e is likely to have dreary look. A win
;, fence only adds to the drearines
Something is required to break tt
monotony A great relief is afforde
by fine hedge. As farmers becon
wealthy and farms areimproyed hedg'
will probably come into use to col
siderable extent Experiments are no
being made with hedge plants that a
!. not indigenous to the country. Son
in native but neglected plants are recei
!, inc attention. A Nebraska correspon
n ent of the Rural New- Yorker writes
le one of them
N The Burberry is the best shrub for
hedge 1t never winter-klls; it groN
on any soil lives over hundred year
and will turn cattle, horses, shee
hogs and even chickens, if planted
the right way. | have a Barber
hedge eight feet high loaded every fl
C. with beautiful scarlet berries, wifi
:" make the very best of preserves al
iellies. | have made very good wi
of the berries every fall The yellC
blossoms it bears in spring in t
months of May and june a
very understanding The golden y
few roots are used for dyeing. \
hedge is eight years old has never be
pruned yet, and is to-day as close as
want it to be- Last year raised fro
in $4,000 to 10000 plants. and abe
go ten bushels of the berries. This ye
'es my hedge will be, if nothing hf
pens, loaded again with scarlet berri
There is no humbug about it.
Ct. can recommend the Burberry he'd
to every farmer in the country livi
ct. either in the timber or prairie. 1t sa'
. a good deal of hard labor in maxi
those costly rail fences which alwt
need repairing and always cause trou
from cattle and hogs that push tn
way through. The Burberry hedge
| numerous S1UEt buUIuS do Il pIpbcCtt
even if it is destroyed by fire it spro
out from the roots again and makes
nice hedge as ever. That it can
planted in new or old ground knt
because have tried it. The richer
n ground the smaller the yield of fri
y 1t makes beautiful ornamental heC
around town lots. The best time
sowing the seeds or planting the pla
IN is in the fall or early in the spring. .
seed grows better if subjected to
action of the frost During Novem
n or early in spring is good time
- sowing the seed in nursury bed
rows two feet apart, covering the s.
from one and one-half to
inches have planted Barberry Sc
Y as late as the middle of April, Wi
~ made nice plants. The plants can
hos, put. in during September and Octol
am- and even as late in the spring as
, ,sr, 18th of June. The young plants n
s ''as no protection whatever during the v