J40 Memoirs cf John CocUurn Efq. April 



piece of your hedge does not thrive well. I bejleve the befl 

 method you can take, is to open the ground about the roots be- 

 fore winter, and fupply, with new pLints, wJiat are gone ; then 

 Iny a ftrinkling of lime near to the hedge, but not touchii^g the 

 thorns; and the winter moilture will carry the lime down 

 through the loofe earth to the roots. I have been told that this 

 does well, though I muO: confefs I never faw it pradlifed. You 

 telf me alfo, that you have enclofed a garden. If you have not 

 yet made any thing of it, I fhall give you my opinion as follows. 

 You may fallow if, or not, as you (hall fee cau'e ; for you, be- 

 iiig upon the fpot, can judge better, than I at a diflance, of the 

 pfopriety or necelFity of the operation. Firil: trench it all over 

 fifteen or eighteen inches deep, and throw in a little dung at the 

 bottom; then, in dry weather, feed cattle upon it of all kinds 

 as you ili-iU find convenient ; the hogs may come laft. If it is 

 a deep clay, as I fancy it is, you may fprinkle it over with afhes, 

 ^:\nd, or gravel, to open the ground, which may be done before 

 the cattle are put upon it, or after, as is mofi: convenient. Af- 

 ter this is done, and that the dung and pifs of the cattle have 

 had fome little time to fink into the ground, d(t\st it, and fow 

 ns you have occafion ; and what you do not fow prefenily, 

 Oiould be laid up in fmall ridges, that the dung and earth may 

 ferment and incorporate together, and that the fun, air and 

 froil mav get into it, letting it lye fo till you' have occafion to 

 ufe it. 1 don't advife your planting any fruit-trees except upon 

 the walls, as they will cover and choke up fo fmall a piece of 

 ground by the time they come to carry any quantity of fruit j 

 and (o you will lofe all the undergrow th, which 1 reckon is 

 v/hat will be moll ufeful to you. If you plant fruit-trees upon 

 the walls, let the borders be broader between the wall and every 

 walk, than any of the borders are at the houfe of Ormiifon, 

 otherwife you can never expe£l: good iruit upon them. You 

 mull mix thefe borders with a(hes or faiid, to open the clay. 

 This will agree with the trees better than any dung; for dung, 

 and efpecially frefh dung, dees not agree with fruit-trees. Do 

 not plant the trees too deep in the ground, and make the bor- 

 ders decline a little from the walls, that no wet may Hand about 

 their roots. If you manage your ground right at firll, I dare 

 fay you will have all forts of roots and herbs for your pot in per- 

 fedllon. A neck of mutton made into broth, with herbs, roots, 

 and fome dices of bread, well-boiled, upon a fljw fire, till the 

 roots and merit are very tender, is a good dilh, and not expen- 

 iive. Inftcad of the bread, you may put in a little barley, and 

 half a handful of meal, to thicken it a little. A pound or two 

 of beef will make it much the better, and give a great deal more 



cf 



