The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-08-13

From the Pensacolian.

Iahe d llVtle extra trouble JneV cOulu soon
have their lands, door yards, gardens,
lots, fields and even woodlands enclosed
with cheap, substantial and effective
hedges of native growth, by properly
planting and training the common ~ ou-
POM" or :" Yanpon," which grows so
abundantly and pcrsistenty in this State.
This bush makes a thicksct, hardy and
rapidly growing hedge, equally As pretty
as any other plant, whether it be EIaw-
thorn, Usage orange. Cherokee rose or
any other growth, ana being Indigenous,
to the soil can he had without further
cost than the cutting, Is " The woods are
full OF '"m."
Dir. j. Y. Danshy has in front Of his
house hedge which is partly Of 'privet"
(Which ranks next to til" :" box " AS an
ornamental hedge plant and partly of
yonpon," and the latter Is really The
besl, from the fact that it is thrittier and.
stouter, ana each plant covers more
GROUND than It's imported rival. while il
take, as kindly to trimming aud training,
and thlcNen> 10 an iinpvne,rahic mas, of
limbs and blunt lhurH~ from The glound
to the top. On" plant WA;th NJ Nansbv
has trimmed covers some SIX or eight
feet space in length and about Two feet
in width, and Is three feet nigh. though
II could easily he trimmed 10 ten inches
III width ana make a barrier that would
turn a rabbit, PIC, goat, COW or mule.
The "y0upOn grows readily from the
cutting, and can be "sct > at any time
while there is plenty of rain, and any
m ,,Ianf rn,,IoD.I
little trouble, while a well set hedge
would last lifetime, and reduce the ex-
pense OF fencing to a nominal figure.
In order to insure full stand of plants
1t would be best for the farmer to set his
cuttings in good moist and reasonably
rich ground for the first year or two; in
fact, make nursery' just as for pear,
fig or grape planting, and when they are
fairly rooted plant them in ditch on the
line to be hedged, taking care to have a
good supply Of wood soil, or rather light
manure, in the bottom of the ditch, set
ting the plants ten to twelve inches apart.
When the plants have been permanently
set and reach the height of two feet or
more do not cut them back, but spike
them down" with forked or crotched
sticks, and You will not then lose any
growth, and will have solid set hedge
from the very ground up as we'll; this
"spiking down" is done by procuring a
sufficient number OF hard wood limbs
(the larger branches of the voupon"
being the very best) which are forkcd,
and cutting one branch long and the
other short, sharpen the long end
for driving IL the ground; YOU ,hcn
grasp handful Of the bushes. an! pre- -
ING them lcngthwi>c ti.e helgerow, pin
them tightly TO the ground With the fork.
continue This until al the plants are 1nu~
pinned down, taking care always TO cover
the plants previously piumed the next
year this process can be repeated, - the
plants thus held down ~ii shoot their
branches straight up, though lon- before
the forks rot the bent tNigs viii nave
become permanently set III thcir growth
and retain their position. Is before
stated, this gives a close, thcksct base
and the side pruning can be commenced
at any time the desired thickness Of the
hedge has been attained, while there Will
be no necessity for topping tor several
years and only about three torkinys,
though the judgement and taste Of the
grower viii be the best guide as to the
treatment after the hedge gets good
growth. A couple Of deep burrows, with
large turning pillow, and throwing the
earth to the hedge, run on each side Of
the hedge once a year will he a great
benefit, because they both cultivate the
plants and cut the roots and prevent
them from spreading and running into
the fields where they are not wanted.
The writer has seen many very hand
some and useful hedges OF many varieties
of hedge plants, but has never seen any
plant growing i'll more profusion than orr
coupon or that so completely fills the
bill for making hedges in Florida, and if
every Florida farmer, gardner and house
holder does not have handsome hedge,
and one that will turn stock, in five years
it will be his own fault; it is said other
hedge plants do not take kindly to Flor
ida soil, but we know that "youpon"
does and that it is difficult to kill out, 50
let every one plant hedges as rapidly as
possible.
Those who do not care to wait for the
growth Of cuttings can dig small bushes
with roots from their native jungles,
though this will be more expensive than
the cutting where any great amount of
hedging is to be done. The plant also
grows readily from the berries.
Our nurserymen could also make a
handsome profit by roofing and selling
the "youpon cuttings for hedges.