FORMATION OF PLANTATIONS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT. 177 
a track should be cut to the depth of a good spading, though it will 
sometimes be found necessary to make up deficiencies of the ground 
instead of taking anything off. Land stones carefully laid to the 
depth of 10 inches, and covered with rough gravel, make a very 
effective road if it is kept dry and free of ruts. When forming a 
road through moss the most effectual plan to keep the bottoming 
from sinking is to put a good heavy coating of spruce branches 
beneath it, keeping them 2 or 3 feet extended beyond the edge of 
the bottoming at each side. Old stone dykes forming fences 
within the enclosure should be taken down, and if not used for the 
building of new fences, should be utilised for the purposes of road- 
making. Besides main roads in a plantation of any extent, bye- 
roads are also necessary for the removal of thinnings and for easy 
access through the plantation. They are likewise generally adapted 
for the convenience of sportsmen. The breadth of such bye-ways is 
commonly about 9 feet, and as they are not designed for the 
removal of timber by cartage, they need not necessarily be laid 
with bottoming. 
Fencing.—In order to protect the young plantation from the 
ravages of live stock, it is absolutely necessary, before commencing 
planting operations, to have it properly fenced. The modes of 
fencing such enclosures are various, and in a great measure depend 
on local facilities, the nature of the surroundings, the class of 
animals to be kept out, and other considerations. Live fences, 
such as thorn, hornbeam, and beech, when sufficiently strong and 
close-growing, are very effectual ; but these, in order to be raised, 
must be themselves protected by a temporary wire or wooden 
fence until they attain sufficient strength to enable them to resist 
attack. For this reason it is undesirable in forming a plantation to 
enclose it with young live fences, though existing fences of this 
class, if healthy, close-growing, and strong enough to resist attack, 
and forming the boundary line, should be carefully gone over and 
made as perfect as possible. Where gaps occur they should be 
filled up with strong, vigorous plants, similar to those of which the 
fence is composed ; and dead plants should be removed and others 
substituted. Wire fencing has the recommendation of being com- 
paratively cheap, and it is, when properly erected, thoroughly 
effectual for years. Where heavy cattle are to be kept out a stronger 
fence is necessary than would be required for sheep, while to keep 
out the latter, the fence must be a great deal closer in order to pre- 
vent them from going through. In wire fences erected for the 
