The top is
cut to within a few inches each year of its previous height. Hedges made
in this way have no gaps.
A similar treatment may be adopted when a hedge becomes too high by long
years of growth. The trees are first partly trimmed with a light axe or
hook with a long handle, and then half cut off at the ground and bent
over. A new growth will spring up and form a new hedge. This course was
adopted by the essayist with a hedge planted twenty-eight years ago, and
which has been a perfect farm barrier for more than twenty years. The
cost of this hedge was about twenty-five cents a rod the first year, and
the three subsequent cuttings for sixty rods cost about twenty dollars,
averaging less than a dollar a year. But it was usually too tall and
shaded, and occupied too much ground, to be recommended where land is
valuable.
Ninety rods of Osage orange hedge, properly trimmed, cost about the same
for the first four years of cultivation, but more for annual cutting
back. It was planted twenty-four years ago, and has been a perfect
barrier for about twenty years. The yearly cost of pruning was about
four cents a rod for ten or twelve years, and since it has become larger
and higher nearly double.
Pages:
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89