proper management, than from any cause inherent in the Holly itself. Thousands of young Hollies have been destroyed, by being planted out improperly, in the spring, at the time that the Hawthorn is usually planted: and the few which escape total destruction, by such injudicious removal, receive a check which cripples their growth, probably for several years. We do not mean to intimate, that, by any treatment whatever, the progress of the Holly can be made to keep pace with that of the Hawthorn, or the Crab: and we are of opinion that it ought, by reason of the comparative slowness of its growth, to be raised under one or other of these two plants; more especially under the Crab, which, as has been observed, has a more upright tendency than the Hawthorn, and consequently will afford more air, as well as more room to the Holly rising under it. Bur whilst we thus venture to recommend raising the Holly under the Crabthorn, we are by no means of opinion that it is difficult to raise a hedge of Holly alone. The principal disadvantage arising comparatively from this practice is, that the dead fence will be required to be kept up at least ten or twelve years, instead of six or seven; in which time a Crabthorn hedge, properly managed, may be made a fence, and will remain so, without further expence, until the Holly become impregnable; when the Crab may either be removed, or permitted to remain, as taste, profit, or conveniency may point out. THE Holly will thrive upon almost any soil; but thin-soiled heights seem to be its natural situation. We may venture to say, that where corn will grow, Holly will thrive abundantly; and Holly hedges seem to be peculiarly well adapted to an arable country: for, being of slow growth, and its perspiration being comparatively small, the Holly does not suck the land (as the Countryman's phrase is), and thereby rob the adjoining corn of its nourishment, so much as the Hawthorn; which, if suffered to run up to that unpardonable height, and to straggle abroad to that shameful width, at which we frequently see it, is not much less pernicious, in its effects upon corn land, than the Ash itself. THE FURZE is rather an assistant Hedge wood, than a shrub which, alone, will make a fence. Upon light barren land, however, where no other wood will grow to advantage, tolerable fences may be made with Furze alone. THERE is one material disadvantage of Furze, as a live Hedge wood; the branches are liable to be killed by severe frosts, especially if the plants be suffered to grow tall, branchy, and thin at the bottom. It follows, that the best preservative against this malady is, to keep them croppeddown low, and bushy; indeed, they are of little use, as a fence, unless they be kept in that state. IN Norfolk, it is a practice, which of late years has become almost universal, to sow Furze seed upon the top of the ditch bank; especially when a new Hedge is planted. In a few years, the Furzes get up, and become a shelter and defence to the young quick; and, assisted by the high ditch bank prevalent in that country, afford a comfortable shelter to cattle in winter; besides supplying, at every fall, a considerable quantity of Farmhouse fuel. SECTION THE SECOND. METHOD AND TIME OF PLANTING HEDGEROWS. I. THE FENCEWOOD. The method varies with the soil, and the time with the species of wood to the planted. In a low level country, ditches become useful, as main drains to the adjoining inclosures; but, in a dry upland situation, drains are less wanted; and here the planter has it in choice, whether he will plant with or without a ditch. THE prevailing custom, taking the kingdom throughout, is to plant with a shallow ditch, laying the plants in a leaning posture against the first spit turned upside down, covering their roots with the best of the cultivated mold, and raising a bank over them, with the remainder of the excavated earth of the ditch, without any regard being had to the wetness or dryness of the situation. It is a striking fact, indeed, that in the vale of Gloucester-where large plots of naturally rich land are chilled with surface water, and reduced to little value, entirely thro a want of proper water courses-it is the custom to plant Hedges with a paltry grip of twelve to fifteen inches deep; while in Norfolk-a dry sandy country, where the natural absorbency of the substratum is seldom or ever satiated-it is the universal. practice to raise Hedges with what is there called a" six-foot dyke;" and, when fresh made, they frequently run from six and a half to seven feet; measuring from the bottom of the ditch to the of the bank. top WHAT may appear equally extraordinary, to the rest of the kingdom, the Norfolk Husbandmen, instead of planting the quick at the foot of the bank, among the corn mold, lay it in, near the top of their wall-like bank, among the crude earth, taken out of the lower part of the ditch. It is no uncommon sight, however, in that country, to see the face of the bank, with the quicksets it contains, washed down, by beating rains, for rods together. Nevertheless, if the plants escape this accident, it is astonishing to see the progress they will sometimes make, for a few first years after planting. But, as the roots enlarge, they become confined for want of room to range in; and the bank naturally moldering down by time, they are left naked and exposed. It is common to see young plants hanging, with their heads downward, against the face of the bank; and the mold continuing to crumble away from their roots, they at length lose their hold, and fall into the ditch. If we examine the unbroken flourishing Hedges of that country, of fifteen, twenty, and thirty years standing (for many such there are, especially in the Fleg Hundreds); we shall find them firmly rooted among the corn mold at the foot of the bank. Nevertheless, the Norfolk farmers, in general, are so closely wedded to the foregoing |