HEDGE-ROW TIMBER. 119 



now referred to that they are found there, more 

 as a matter of chance, than of design: and this 

 may he assigned, partly at least, as the reason 

 why they have heen so neglected, or so shamefully 

 used. If they had heen planted, and if any cal- 

 culation at all were made before planting, it might 

 be imagined that a gentleman would wish to ascer- 

 tain what would he the surest mode of raising a 

 class of fine unblemished trees, whether they were 

 Oaks, or Elms, or Ash, or any other kind ; and 

 having carefully, and at some expence, introduced 

 them into his hedges, it is difficult to suppose, that 

 he would either leave them to shift for themselves, 

 or to the tender mercies of their natural enemies, 

 the occupiers of the land on which they might be 

 growing : it is therefore more than probable, that a 

 considerable proportion of them are in the hedges 

 more by accident than any thing else. But how- 

 ever that may be, the fact remains the same : they 

 are, very generally, standing memorials of the 

 ignorance of the men in whose care they have 

 been placed, and a triumphant vindication of the 

 propriety of my title. 



