298 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
into them by the farmers who are in the habit of using hedgerow 
trees as posts when repairing their fences. This bad custom is 
notoriously common in Dumfriesshire. 
The fences are of various kinds. Red sandstone abounding on 
many estates, it has been used extensively in forming stone walls. 
Tron and wire, and also wood and wire, are commonly used. Wooden 
pailings are also numerous, more especially in Dumfriesshire. This 
is partly accounted for by the great quantity of wood that has been 
blown down in recent years, much of which has been used for this 
purpose, but more particularly by it being a fox-hunting district, 
where wire-fences would be troublesome as well as dangerous, and 
very few fences are met with over three feet high. Hedges have 
been planted extensively at one time, principally of hawthorn, and 
several good ones are seen where they have been well kept. 
Hedges have been generally used as dividing fences on the farms, 
and add considerably to their amenity. The customary system is 
to have them trimmed every fifth year, just before breaking up the 
lea-ground ; five years rotation being the rule in cropping the land. 
This system of cutting hedges has the effect of damaging their 
usefulness and appearance, giving them a strong growing top with 
a poorly furnished bottom. They also suffer much by the sheep 
when eating the turnip crop; for although it is specified in most 
leases that the farmer shall net the hedges at this season, yet on 
very few estates is the clause attended to. On exposed grazing 
ground, where there is a scarcity or absence of belts of plantation, 
these neglected and overgrown hedges form a good shelter for 
stock, the only useful purpose they serve. 
There is no part of Scotland better adapted to the growing of 
timber, and no district more in need of the friendly shelter of 
woods, especially in the northern parts of Dumfriesshire, and on 
the open wind-swept hills of Galloway. It is true that a few 
proprietors have done a considerable amount of planting, but 
landowners in general have not yet fully realised the importance 
and benefit of the extension of their woods. It is to be hoped 
that the visit of the Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society to the 
district this season will be the means of more effectually drawing 
the attention of landowners to this important department of estate 
management. 
