TO HIS GARDENER 15 



way. I thought I saw a good many fine Beeches for our 

 purpose, between ^ the Entrie and the old path and there abouts. 

 But if you find trees for our purpose which can well be sparM 

 from the Wood by east the Town, Espicially where hurting 

 Oaks, be sure to pick them out. Observe to match the Beeches 

 as near a hight and the best plants of the size you can have. 

 Have not I wrott again and again about planting, trenching, 

 etc., in the Addition to the Nursery. Can you believe I would 

 order the like but upon supposition that it was thoroughly 

 fenc'd. I certainly ordered Alex*" Cokb: and his man keeping 

 close to dressing the Easter and then the Wester Wood, but I 

 added except necessary business required his leaving of the 

 Wood and doeing what prest. Could any thing press more 

 than making the rice dike, if the Nursery is not safe without 

 it. If Ch: Cokburne's assistance is necessary for forwarding 

 this, sett him to itt and delay sending of him to the Wood by 

 the Town till that and the fencing of the Beeches is in a 

 forwardnes, tho"* it shall keep him a week after receipt of this, 

 before he goes to the Wood by the Town. You may remember 

 I desir'd the mixing some Orientall plains with the platinus's 

 like a Rowe below Alex^ Cokbfs. I am surpris''d to hear of 

 a Border to plant a hedge upon and fancy that can make a 

 fence against Cattle. You know very well the folly the two 

 Alex** Wights committed that way 7 years ago.^ Such a hedge 

 won't make a fence these 20 years and for that time must have 

 a fence of each side of itt if ever cattle are to gett near itt for 

 a horse or a Cow being above it will sett their breast to it and 

 force through with their weight, till it getts great strength. 

 Itt is not like a hedge that has the advantage of a ditch and 

 bank and so is above the Breast of horse or ox. Besides this 



^ In the Glen in front of the house. The ' Entrie ' is the avenue. 



2 A reference to the first letter. A hedge is explained here as planted on the 

 top of a bank or ditch, sometimes called a dyke. When Cockburn means a 

 trench, he says * ditches or drains.' From the English ditches, or hedged dykes, 

 he got his elm saplings. It was an improved turf wall, known as the Ayrshire 

 dyke, and still seen all over County Down. The dry stone wall was a Galloway 

 dyke. Atop of these earthen dykes Cockburn planted a double hedge, and 

 hard wood trees at intervals. Professor Walker, writing late in the century, 

 says that three-quarters of British timber was then grown in hedgerows. * Rice 

 dike ' above is a wattled fence. See p. 94, * I design the tops for dry fences.' 



