The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-17
Trifoliate Orange as Hedge Plant.

IFllOlibtc orange as HeuEe f1uhts
Notwithstanding reports to the contrary,
this orange, Citrus trifoliata, survived the
February freeze all over the South, and
as far North az Washington and Phila-
delphia. says the American Agriculurst.
Z he fruit is not edible, ana whatever may
be said Of the tree as 10 lis value as a
stock upon which TO graft the tender va
rlcues, its great possibilities as hedge
pant for the South ana Southwest are not
questioned. Prof Massey was deeply IN
pressed with its possibilities in IN 8 direc-
ton, and wrote Its advantages as
hedge plant are its natural dense habit
OF growth and the abundance of its sharp
thorns. 1t is naturally dwarf tree, and
will need but little trimming 10 keep il
within bounds. 1t will never become q
nuisance Ike the so-calle1 Usage orange
by sproutng from the roots.
Every branch and tWig is Of a bright,
glossy green, and in summer ana winter
il will make the most orna mental of
hedges. We nail il as the most
promising plant yet found TO take the
place of the miserable Usage orange ana
give us a real defensive hedge without
FLASHING or trying to patented wires aud
at the same time a most ornamental fruit
producing hedge"
When referring to its fruit producing Il
should be stated that while the fruit is
marmaiade may be prepared from it and
that its juice, like that of the lemon af-
tords refreshing drink. As l have OBJ
served the plant in florida il possesses
all the good points Prof. Massey claims
Tor II as hedge plant. A sparrow could
hafdIy find its way through some parts
OF Well-grown specimens, SO closely are
the twlss and fierce thorns set and inter-
woven, and l believe a hedge of it could
be so grown as to successfully repel The
advance of the thinnest and longest
shouted razor back" hog in the South,
| restraint.
Before Prof. Massey's advocacy of the
trltoilate as hedge plant, DR.. G Devron
OF New Orleans wrote in Southern hOTti-
cultural journal as follows: Having been
| one of the first to cultivate the Citrus ;ri-
toliata in the open ground in the United
| states, and perhaps the first to see il
bloom and produce fruit in tihs country, 1
must say that know of no variety of the
| citrus family that can be more neglected.
| more exposed to the extremes of temper
| AZURE or TO the excess Of moisture and
| dryness with so much impunity In the
| seventeen years that l have had that cit
rus under observation 1 never found an in
| furious insect on the tree or its leaves,
| flowers or fruit, The tree in Louisiana
| grows to the hight of ten OF twelve feet
| with numerous straight. stout and very
sharp thorns "a good substitute for our
! barbed wire)"
| When used for hedging purposes il is
| recommended to set the plants from Is to
~ inches apart in a single row. though it
| is claimed that planted even farther apart
they will form hedge which no animal
| can force. The first fall, after growth
| ceases, cut the plants back to a uniform
| hight of one foot; the next fan to two feet
! and so on until four feet high. II is
! probable that 1t viii be found necessary to
work narrow strip of ground along each
! side of the hedge. at least until it has at
! tanned the desired size, as the various cit
| rus species do not thrive when left 10 con-
| tend with weeds and grass. As an Ornament
| tai hedge for the yard the trifoliate may
| be unreserVedly commended for all sec
tons of the country where it has proved
| hardy At all times of the year il is beau
| tiful-in the spring, when covered with It's
| myriads of large, snowy-white flowers,
| which precede or accompany its leaves; in
midsummer when dressed in it's peculiar
! dark green, clOver-shaped leaves; in late
| fall, when weighed down with its brilliant,
| orange red fruits, and even in winter aft
er its leaves have fallen, as every branch
and twig is bright, glossy green the year
| round.