HAWTHORN HEDGES.

North Otago Times, Volume 1, Issue 3, 10 March 1864, Page 3

HAWTHORN HEDGES.

Hedge-fences aie of the very greatest use, not only iv affording proper subdivisions of land into convenient sizes, butaie also the best protection to cultivated fields, being maintained, after once established, at considerably less expense than any other mode ot fencing ; affording shelter without creating undue shade, or harboring weeds or veimin ; and when kept in order that shelter has been found to be superior to that of any other fence. Besides, they give a cheerful and inviting aspect to the country ; whereas the post and rail, or wire fence, produces a cold and sterile appearance, associating in no respect with anything else in the surrounding landscape. In new countries, however, settlers are obliged to have recourse to wood, wire, or stone; in the first instance, to fence in their lands, as such fences are better adapted for sheep nins, these animals being exceedingly destructive to thorn hedges. Still, when the climate and soil will admit of a thorn hedge to grow, post and i ail and other like fencing ought to be followed up immediately by quick-setting, especially on farms. And in this district, where we have not the protection of trees or hills from the north-east Avinds, this, remaik is especially applicable. It is only in a moderately good climate, and in a dry, fertile soil, that the hawthorn thrives : such as a heavy loam or a dry bottom ; for in all light gravelly soils thorns seldom prosper, und are so apt to die suddenly that without a costly improvement of the soil, it Avere better to substitute another kind offences. The greatest enemy, however, to all hedge fences is carelessness in planting and in after management. For a strong and lasting hedge, from four to five feet should be taken as the full height, and from two to three as its breadth at bottom, tapei ing in a m edgelike shape to six inches at top. Such a hedge, when the main stems have attained their proper strength, is a sufficient protection to stock or crop, whether from within or without. No other plants should be introduced into a thorn hedge, howe\er the thorn itself will thrive. Intermixtures of other plants not only, spoil the latter as a fence, but produce a medley of forms and colors as offensive to the eye of taste as if Joseph's whole wardrobe of many-colored coats were hung out to take the air. The proper starting of a thorn hedge is I a matter of great consequence to its future prosperity. Yet this is a matter in geneial more slovenly set about than perlnps any other within the whole range of rural i economy. Why hedgers are enjoined by most writers to lay the plants at setting over on their sides instead of the more natural way of setting them upright. The ' plants used are in general far too young, or, at least, far too small. Extra strong plants, fiom eighteen inches to two feet, should be the minimum size employed, and the ground should be properly prepared for them by trenching, and the roots of the plants set in a trench of sufficient width to admit of their roots being fully spread out. In the rearing of living fence of any kind, the sooner the fence becomes efficient the better ; therefore, to secure this important eDd, the stronger the plants employed the more likely is this to be obtained. Instead of this, plants of one, two, or three years are used, not only in this colony bui the mother country. Plants of this description continue long in a a state of infancy, and require great nourishing and pruning, both of which is attended with an amount of labor and expense that would be avoided by using plants of a greater age.

In England ladies don't allow themselves te be put on the shelf quite as soon as ours. They are not supposed to reach the full bloom of maturity until forty, an age at which all true judges think their charms XL. — American Paper. A subscriber writes to a Western editor :—": — " I don't want your paper any longer." To uhich the editor replies — " I wouldn't make it any longer if you did. Its present length suits me Terr -well."