of Great Britain. It is a striking fact, that in Norfolk, where there is very little Oak, except what grows in the Hedges, and even in these, for one timber tree there are ten pollards, the country experiences no want of Oak timber.

BUT while we recommend the Oak, as eligible to be planted in Hedges, we condemn, as unfit for that purpose, every other tree (except, perhaps, the Aquatics in a marsh, the Beech and Pine tribe upon a barren mountain, or the Elm where Oak has lately occupied the soil) and more especially the Ash; not only as being the greatest enemy to the farmer, but because the excellency of Ash timber arises from a length of stem, and cleanness of grain: groves, therefore, and not Hedges, are the natural situation of the Ash.

THE method of raising the Oak in Hedges, may either be by sowing the acorns, or planting the seedlings, at the time of planting the fence wood: we would wish to recommend the practice of both; namely, to plant a well rooted thriving nursery plant (such as has previously been tapped and transplanted) at the distance of every statute rod; and, at the same time, to dibble round each plant three or four acorns, to guard against a miscarriage, and to give the judicious woodman a choice in the properest plant to be trained.

THIS distance may be objected to, as being too close; and so it may in a deciduous Hedge; but, in a Holly Hedge, we would not wish to see Oaks stand at a greater distance; for, situated in a Hedge, they have unlimited room to spread on either side; and, by standing near each other, they are more likely to throw out main branches, fit for ship timber, than they would if they had full head room. For this reason, it might not be amiss to plant at every half rod, and, when the Hedge is perceived to begin to suffer, to thin them in the manner most conducive to the ends proposed, holding jointly in view the Fence and the Timber.

SECTION THE THIRD.

DEFENDING THE YOUNG PLANTS.

LITTLE more remains to be said upon this head. The ditch, bank, and dwarf hedge have already been fully described; and this is by much the cheapest, and a very effectual, method, where it can be conveniently practised; but where the nature of the soil is such, that a ditch sufficiently deep, to defend the young plants, cannot be sunk but at too great an expence, some other expedient must be sought for.

POSTS and rails, wound with bushes in the Yorkshire manner, are an effectual fence; but they are expensive in the extreme.

IN Surrey and Kent, the prevailing practice is to set a strong stake-and-edder Hedge behind the quicksets, and throw rough bushes into a shallow ditch, in front: this in a coppice-wood country may be done at a reasonable expence; but it is by no means effectual.

In some places, wattle Hedges are used; and in others furze faggots, set in close order, are found effectual, for this purpose: in short, almost every country affords its own peculiar materials, and every judicious planter will endeavour to find out those which are most eligible for the given

situation.

SECTION THE FOURTH.

THE METHOD OF TRAINING.

9

MUCH, very much indeed, depends upon this part of the business: nevertheles, it is the common idea of planters of hedges, everywhere, that, having performed the business of planting, and

having made a fence sufficient to guard the plants, at the time of planting, their part is finished; the rest is of course left to nature and chance.

THE repairing of the fence;

THE cleaning, &c. of the plants; and the TRIMMING or pruning them; are not however less necessary operations, than the planting and fencing; for without proper attention to those, the expence bestowed upon these is only so much thrown away. A single gap, especially where sheep are to be fenced against, may cause to be undone, in half an hour, what has been doing for two or three years.

In this point of view, a deep ditch fence is preferable to one raised upon the ground; provided the ditch be kept pointed; for without this precaution, a ditch, unless it be very deep indeed, must not be depended upon, as a fence, either against cattle or sheep: but neither the one nor the other will trust themselves in a ditch, without a bottom for them to stand upon; nothing, indeed, is more terrible to them; especially if part of the mold be formed into a sharp banklet, placed on the outer brink of the ditch.

HARES are great enemies to young Hedges: a ditch fence is the best preservative against them

(paling or other close fences only excepted). An offset, however, is favourable to them; they will run along it, and crop the plants from end to end: therefore, where hares are numerous, a tufted branch of Furze, Thorns, Holly, or other rough wood, should be stuck, here and there, upon the platform, to prevent their running along it.

THE next business is WEEDING, either with the hỏe or by hand; the former is more eligible, where it can be used; as breaking the earth about the roots of the plants is of great service.

FERN is a great enemy to young hedge plants; it is difficult to be drawn by hand, without endangering the plants; and, being tough, it is equally difficult to be cut with the hoe; and, if cut, will presently spring up again. The best manner of getting rid of it, when grown to a head, is to give the stem a twist, near the root, and let the top remain on, to wither and die, by degrees : this not only prevents its immediate springing; but appears to destroy the root.

THISTLES, docks, nettles, and other tall weeds, are also injurious to the tender plants, in robbing them of their nourishment, and drawing them up weak and slender, or smothering them outright, if not timely relieved by the fostering VOL. I.

G