Fig. 112.—Cactus Hedge.
The Osage Orange is a native of the Southwestern States, and flourishes on good soil anywhere in the South. Yet there are certain succulent plants which grow so rapidly in the South, and require so little care, that they are very successfully employed for hedges in the Gulf States. One of these is the Yucca gloriosa, or Spanish Bayonet. Its natural habit of growth is to produce a dense mass of leaves on a long stem. But by cutting back the growth of the stiff, armed leaves is produced low down, and a hedge of this soon becomes an impassable barrier. Large panicles of beautiful white blossoms are produced at the summit, making such a hedge very ornamental during the flowering season. Various species of cactus are also employed in the Southwest for hedges. In some of the Middle-Western States may be seen a hedge like [figure 112]. At some distance from the highway, a field had been enclosed with the tree cactus, which there grows only from four to ten feet high. The plants that were in the line of the fence were left growing, and those cleared from the field were woven into a formidable barrier to anything larger than a rabbit. While no two rods in this fence are alike, its general appearance is like that shown in the engraving.
ORNAMENTAL HEDGES AND SCREENS.
Fig. 113.—Branch Of Japan Quince.
Fig. 114.—Fruit And Flower.
Hedges and screens for ornamental purposes alone, do not come strictly within the scope of this work, but we will briefly mention a few desirable plants for the purpose. The Japan Quince, Cydonia Japonica, of which [figures 113] and [114] show a branch, flower and fruit, is one of the best deciduous plants for an ornamental hedge. It will grow in almost any soil; if left to itself it forms a dense, strong bush, but it may be clipped or trained into any desired form. Its leaves are of dark glossy green, they come early in spring and remain until late in Autumn. This is one of the earliest shrubs to bloom in spring; its flowers are generally intense scarlet, though there are varieties with white, rose-colored, or salmon-colored flowers. A hedge of this plant is not only highly ornamental, but its abundant thorns make a good barrier. Privet, Ligustrum vulgare, makes a very neat screen, but will not bear severe cutting back, and is therefore suitable only for grounds of sufficient extent to admit of its being allowed to make unrestrained growth. The common Barberry, Berberis vulgaris, also makes an exceedingly pretty screen in time, but it is of slow growth. The Buffalo Berry, Sheperdia argentea, has been tried for hedges, but for some reason it has never attained any popularity. In the Southern States, the Cherokee Rose has been found quite successful for the purpose, and nothing in the shape of a hedge can exceed, in striking effect, one of these in full bloom. For evergreen screens nothing is better than the Hemlock, Tsuga Canadensis. The Norway Spruce is of rapid growth and bears cutting well. The Arbor Vitæ, Thuja occidentalis, is also very successfully employed for the purpose.