FENCING AND DRAINING 181 



Cleaning during first few years, about is. per chain. 

 Lay ing young hedges, about $s. ^d. per chain. 

 Laying old hedges, about 4^. per chain. 

 Annual trimming, 6d. per chain. 

 Post-and-rail protective fences, about 25^ per chain. 

 Post-and-vnre, with top rail, about 2,os. per chain. 

 Post- and- wire, about i$s. per chain. 



But in 1920 the cost would be from two and a half to three 

 times as much. 



Other plants used for hedges. 



Blackthorn. A good hedge plant on strong loams, but it 

 often spreads into the neighbouring fields by suckers. It 

 should only be substituted for whitethorn on strong wet soils. 



Myrobella or Cherry Plum. A good plant on soils suitable 

 for plums. It produces stout thorns and forms an efficient 

 fence very rapidly. It will stand sea breezes. 



Beech makes a good hedge in exposed situations, and is 

 useful when shelter is wanted. It does not, however, make 

 a strong fence against cattle. The plants should not be closer 

 than 18 inches and should not be cut back when planting. It 

 may be trimmed after the second year. 



Hornbeam is a shade-bearer, and makes a good hedge under 

 the shade of other trees. Its dead leaves remain on in winter 

 and it therefore gives good shelter. 



Holly makes a strong fence and gives good shelter. It 

 grows slowly, but lasts a long time. It does well in thin 

 sandy soils, and will grow under hedgerow trees, as it is a 

 shade-bearer. 



Gorse makes a good fence if grown on a bank, and can be 

 used on barren sand and in exposed places where other plants 

 will not grow. Yew, Box, and Privet do not make strong 

 enough fences for forest purposes. 



WIRE FENCES. 



A wire fence has the advantage over a hedge in that it 

 keeps out cattle immediately it is made, and is usually cheaper 



