Art. XIV.—On Hedges and Hedge Plants.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 9, 1876, Page 203

Art. XIV.—On Hedges and Hedge Plants. ByJ. C. Crawford. [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 25th November, 1876.] A Great want at the present time in New Zealand is the efficient supply of proper plants for live fences, more perhaps in the way of shelter than of protection, because perhaps no live fence in this country will keep out cattle determined to effect a breach. In Great Britain various plants are used for field hedges, but only two of these may be considered to be in general use, viz., the white thorn and the beech, and of these the thorn is the most generally planted. Neither of these plants seem to be suitable generally for New Zealand hedges. The thorn no doubt grows luxuriantly on good soil, but of late years it has become so infested during the summer by the well-known grub, which eats

its leaves, that it becomes unsightly to look at, the smell is disagreeable, and the plant must become gradually weakened and eventually destroyed by the damage done to its leaves. On poor ground the thorn does not thrive in New Zealand. It soon becomes hide-bound and cankered, and does not then make a good fence. It does not seem likely that the beech will be successfully grown in this country, either for a hedge or for timber. The ravages of a grub seem to be too much for its constitution. Another plant, the gorse, is much used in some parts, but is subject to serious objections. The danger of its spreading and taking possession of the adjoining land makes its use by no means desirable, and as it will burn green the light from the match of a passer by may at any time destroy the fence. It is desirable to find something better than gorse. Now, I think the nursery gardeners ought to] show a little originality. They ought to set their wits to work to find out the best hedge plants suitable for the country. They should make experiments and try the plants of various countries, instead of merely raising thorns. I have forgotten to mention the holly. This can hardly be called a plant for a field hedge. It makes no doubt a capital garden hedge, and if it would only grow a little quicker it would answer all purposes admirably, but it is so slow of growth that for general purposes it is unsuitable. Although I hold that it is the duty of professional gardeners to find out and supply the best hedge plants, I will venture to name some which have come under my notice, and which may answer the purposes of giving shelter. To make a paddock safe from intrusion a wire or other fence will in this country always be required in addition. The Escalonia densa I find to be a very hardy shrub, and it stands the sea breeze well. It grows readily from cuttings, and might be supplied cheap in consequence. Stock do not appear to touch it, and it is very pretty both in leaf and in flower. Its weak points are in deficiency of strength in the wood, in having no thorns, and, as far as I have seen, not ripening its seed in this country. Therefore if always grown from cuttings it may suddenly die out. The Ake-ake grows readily from cuttings and is very hardy, but I am afraid that horses or cattle may eat it. As I have heard the point disputed as to which is Ake-ake and which Ake piro, I may mention that the plant I mean has a silvery and corrugated leaf. The plant, however, which strikes me as being most suitable for a hedge plant is the Hakea asicularis. It grows readily from seed, indeed I may almost say that every seed is sure to germinate, and it seeds freely. It is so well protected by formidable thorns that it would require a very coura-

geous animal to face it. It grows with rapidity in favourable situations, and with fair rapidity in more barren places, and it stands clipping. An Olearia which grows on the soft ground of the Peninsula might perhaps be grown with advantage as a shelter hedge. In favourable situations it grows very thick and close, and sometimes to a height of seven or eight feet. Live stock do not touch it, and it is difficult to kill, either by burning or by cutting. It has, however, no protection in the way of thorns, and it is subject to the same disadvantages as the Tauwhinu(Casinia retorta), viz., that it seeds very freely and is apt to spread; but still not nearly to the same extent as the latter plant. Few farmers in New Zealand have any idea of the time, the labour, and the expense required to produce a good hedge. In my part of Scotland, in an elevated situation, it requires about nine years to rear a thorn or beech hedge into a secure fence. During this period it must be be fenced on both sides, if stock is kept in the adjoining fields, and it must be dug about the roots and cleared from weeds and grass twice a year. In lower and more favourable situations, I suppose four or five years would be required. After the fence is established, it ought, besides being pruned, to be cleared of weeds about the roots at least once a year. This is a point never attended to in New Zealand, and consequently the lower branches get rotten, and the hedge becomes open at the bottom. Whatever plant we may eventually adopt for our hedges in New Zealand ought to have fair play, and be kept free from weeds and grass. In forest planting in New Zealand we find that we must have recourse to exotic trees. Those of the country seem generally unsuited for arti-cial plantation. Accustomed to grow naturally in close proximity, thus sheltering each other, they seem unable to stand the greater exposure to air and light when planted by man. There may be other reasons, but it is sufficient to point out that practically they are found unsuitable. Trees from California, from the Himalaya, from Japan, from Australia take their place, and perhaps grow better than those from Europe. If we find the trees from these countries succeed so well, may we not look to the same countries to supply a good hedge plant? I have seen wonderful hedges of the bamboo at Singapore. They were perhaps rather too high and too close, thereby excluding the air too much. The small black bamboo seems to grow well in this country, but it is hardly the plant we require. What we want is a hardy plant of rapid growth, which will stand clip-ping; which, if possible, shall be protected by thorns; and which will not be subject to the attacks of insect life. Whoever shall succeed in introducing this plant will deserve the country's thanks. The Osage orange has

been tried by many of us, but, I think, with unsatisfactory results. It does not stand the sea breeze, and it is in leaf for a comparatively short time of the year. We want something better than the Osage orange. Possibly from California or Oregon we might obtain the plant we require, and with greater facility than from other countries, on account of the regular communication. There is a common New Zealand shrub, or tree, which may be made useful for shelter, viz., the Ngaio: but to bring it into common use for a hedge plant it must be raised in nurseries, and thus established with good roots before planting out. So long as we have to depend upon getting young plants from the outskirts of the bush, the greater number of them will be sure to die off after being transplanted. This will not suit for hedge planting, as the preliminary expense of preparing the ground is thus thrown away. The Ngaio is very hardy, is improved by pruning and clipping, and does not seem to be eaten by horses or cattle; but I am informed that sheep will eat it, although I have not myself observed them to do so.