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to tftx Southern
Vol. 6.
OSAGE ORANGE HEDGE CUL
TURE
William Neff, Esqr., of Cincinnati,
was one of the first who called attention
to the value of the Marclura as a
hedge plant, and he planted largely of
it himself on his grounds at Yellow
Springs, also in more Western States.
Some ofhis earliest experiments were
not perfectly successful, owing to defi
cient trimming, but his extended obser
vations and experiments give much
value to his present instructions, which
we copy from the Western Horticul
tural Review of the present month:—
My object in this article is not to
complain of your stricture upon the
cultivation and management of the
Hedge, but to meet some objections
to the Osage Orange Plant itself, inas
much as my experience tells me that
there is no known plant so peculiarly
adapted todhe purpose, and so valuable
to our Agricultural interosts. Its sur
prising properties are no longer a prob
lem. Some are yet disposed to class
it among the“ Humbugs,” and many
doubt its utility, but amongst them all
you will not probably find much, if
any experience. If tightly managed,
it makes the best and cheapest fence
in the world—without any special ob
jection whatever.
Believing then, as I do, in the ex
traordinary properties of the Osage
Orange for making Live Fences, I will
state what I believe the best mode of
cultivation and management, in as few
plain words as practicable, so as to be
understood by the inexperienced—with
the hope that all interested persons
may practice, and enjoy its benefits.
In order to make the seed vegetate
surely and quickly, they require to be
soaked for a long time in, warm water
—usually three, four or five days, but
always until they are very much swol
len, and partially sprouted. The water
should be kept warm all the time, (and
changed as often as every 48 hours.—
Eds. O. C.)
The nursery should be located with
care. It should be a rich sandy loam/
If you have none such, prepare the
best spot you have by deep and thor
ough cultivation, mixed with well rot
ted manure, if not otherwise rich e
nough—make the drills about a foot a
part, and -before dropping the seed,
send to the woods and get some of the
richest and sandiest mold you can pro
cure. Drop the seed, and cover with
PUBLISHED MONTHLY AS A PART OF THE RECORDER—DE VOTED CHIEFLY TO AGRICULTURE.
MEILLEDGE Ga., ITIAY 4, 1952.
the woods mold an inch or an inch
and a half deep. If the seed are well
soaked the ground clear aud strong,
they will all make their appearence be
fore the weeds and grass will start to
interfere with them. So soon as they
are well up, the greatest care will be
necessary to avoid the labor of hoeing
and weeding, which can only be done
by mulching well with leaves, cut straw,
saw-Gust, or tan-bark. I name the
mulching materials in the rotation, 1
think they answer best. The whole
nursery should be covered, except only
the plants ; and put on thick enough to
prevent the grass and weeds from ap
pearing; by doing so, all further labor
will be avoided.
They are better not to be planted too
early in the spring—the middle of May
is soon enough.
The next spring they are ready for
setting in the Hedge, the ground for
which should have been well prepared
the previous fall, by subsoiling, and
manuring, if necessary ; and again in
the very early spring plowed and har
rowed and rolled repeatedly till com
pletely pulverized,then drive the stakes,
lay the line, and spade the trenches.
•More care is necessary in taking up plants
to insure their growth than is usually
observed, and more with this, as it is de
sirable that every one should grow. The
tops may be cut off to six inches, and
the roots pruned proportionally. Set
the plants in a double row six inches a
part, diagonically—thus * # * # * # —afoot
apart in each row‘ making them equal
to six inches in a single row. As soon
as planted, mulch deeply with leaves,
straw, saw-dust, or tanbark’ and they
will want no further attention till the
next spring, at which time pruning
commences, and you begin by cutting
all oft within one inch of the ground ;
in the middle of June cut all the tops
again to within four-inches of the former
cutting. The next spring cut to with
in five inches of the preceding cutting,
and again the middle of June to within
six inches—and so continue cutting
each spring and June, increasing the
distance an inch each, time, till the
Hedge is high enough. By this means
you thicken the Hedge perfectly all th
way up; and when grown it will require
the less pruning from there being no
large stalks. By pruning the tops only
while growing, the side branches be
come the stronger ; they can afterwards
be pruned and thickened, till it mav
be made impenetrable to a bird. The
mulching may require some- renewing
the second year, but afterwards the
shade of the Hedge will prevent the
interference ofthe grass and weeds.
The plants should never be set fur
ther apart than I recommended above
—particularly in strong soil, as the fur
ther apart they are set the stronger t
they will grow, and create so much
more pruning after the Hedge is grown,
or otherwise be objectionably high. Nei
ther will the roots extend so far when
closely set.
T he Hedge should be fully protected
from stock for the first two years. Moles
often burrow under ,he Hedge, destroy
ing the roots. To lemedy this, mrake
the ground “ dishing” where the plants
are set two or three inches lower than
the .sides, which is found effectual, and
the plants flourish better.
The pruning may be made a com
paratively small job by using a strong
knife for the purpose, about two feet
long. A common grass hook answers
pretty well; and some labor may be
avoided by pruning in the fall, before
the wood becomes hard, in the place of
the spring. The plant bears it so well,
that there is no danger.
The “plashing,” “plaiting,” or’.' in
terlacing,” when rightly done, may
make a perfect fence, and quite orna*
mental, particularly while young ; but
it is expensive, and for .common pur
poses, 1 would not recommend it further
than, to stop a gap. i „
lam persuaded that the plafit may ■
be used to advantage much farther
north than has been admitted. For the
first two or three years the limbs will
be severely nipped by the frost, but not
to the injury ofthe fence.
Respectfully, William Neff.
In sowing Osage Orange Seed, a
correspondent in Lorain county informs
us that he has had the best success, by
soaking it (standing in a warm place)
for 6 orß days, then sowing in drillsan
inch deep, and covering with sandy
earth, such as will not bake.
Oh\o Cultivator.
A young lady, of Albany, recently received
from a relative in California, in a letter, a gold
watch and two golds chains. The did
not weigh an ounce and a half. The watch is
a perfect gem. It is a Genera lever, full jew
eled, is not much larger than a dime, and keeps
admirable time. One of the chains was of gold
and agate, very beautiful, and the other was of
the finest California gold, and about 18 inches
in length. Such a letter is worth the postage,
at least.
No. G.
521
