Hedges and Hedging. 687 



to protect the hedge when young, but of course that is a necessity in 

 all cases, and adds greatly to the expense of getting them up. 



A hedge managed in the way I have set forth will require notliing 

 more but a yearly switching for a considerable number of years, but 

 in mixed husbandry it is sometimes desirable to let them remain two 

 years without topping, which not only forms more shelter, but when 

 pastured by sheep is a great protection to the fence as well. 



In pastural farming, and especially on a bare exposed, tract of 

 country, it is common to let the hedges run wild for many years for 

 the sake of shelter. If this were only done for four or six years there 

 would be little harm done to the fence ; but when they are allowed 

 to grow longer the fence is apt to get bare below, and the plants have 

 a tendency to die out. 



In this part of the country when fences get overgrown it is a 

 common thing to have them laid or "plashed," which no doubt is a 

 way to make the best of a bad bargain. The necessity for such 

 treatment is the result of mismanagement at an earlier period of their 

 existence. But, notwithstanding, it is a fact that we often meet with 

 hedges that have been allowed to run wild, and if they have got very 

 open and have a lot of " gaps " in them, the best plan is to have them 

 plashed. There are different ways of doing this work in different 

 parts of the kingdom, but the way it is done here is as follows : — The 

 hedge is first cleared of all dead wood and extra shoots that are not 

 required for layers ; the best plants and those in the straightest line 

 being reserved for that purpose. The plants are then cut nearly 

 through a few inches above the ground, with a long sloping cut down- 

 wards and bent over at an angle of about forty-five degrees ; the 

 bottom part of the cut is then taken off with a slope upwards and 

 neatly dressed off; small hedge stakes from an inch to two inches in 

 diameter are driven in along the line of fence about twenty inches 

 apart, and when layers in the fence are scarce, the deficiencies are 

 made up by filling in with dead thorns twisted through the stakes so 

 as to make the hedge sufdcient to turn sheep. The tops of the stakes 

 are then cut off to the required height, and are fastened firmly together 

 with small rods twisted round each other, and backwards and for- 

 wards along the tops of the stakes forming a sort of basket work, 

 making a firm fence for two years, by which time, if the hedge 

 grows well, the young shoots will have grown up through the layers, 

 and be able to support them without the aid of fresh " bindings." 

 Bindings are cut out of the woods when they are " brushed," and tied 

 up in scores and sold at sixpence per bundle, and should be about ten 

 or twelve feet long. When a hedge is laid, the " brush " or layers 

 should be put to one side, so as to leave the stools light and air, which 

 Avill enable them with greater vigour to throw out young shoots, which 



