CHAMBERS'S INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE. 



for this is taking advantage of growths which can 

 be converted into use, and which would otherwise 

 be lost ; but to raise up trees to a certain age, and 

 then cut them down prematurely for the sake of 

 their bark, is at best an enormous loss to the pro- 

 prietor as well as to the country in general. 



For live-fences, except in peculiarly bleak and 

 barren situations, hawthorn is the best adapted ; 

 care, however, is required both in the planting 

 and trimming. The preparation of the land 

 for planting hedges requires the greatest care, for 

 if this be not cleared of weeds before the thorns 

 are planted, it will be almost impossible to do it 

 afterwards. Foul land should be well fallowed 

 before the hedge is planted ; and if poor, it will 

 require to be manured. Old pasture-land should 

 be pared and burned, and the ground otherwise 

 well prepared for the reception of the hedge. If 

 possible, the ground should be trenched to about 

 eighteen inches deep, and four feet in breadth, the 

 surface-soil being placed in the . bottom of the 

 trench ; and this will be found an excellent way 

 of getting rid of weeds. The expense attending 

 a thorough preparation of the soil will be amply 

 repaid by having a clean and well-growing hedge, 

 which is a great ornament to an estate. 



The season for planting depends in some 

 measure on the nature of the ground ; for if this 

 be very dry, the planting should take place in the 

 autumn, or early in spring, in order that the plants 

 may have made some root before the heat of 

 summer sets in. The autumn is recommended by 

 some as the best season for planting on all soils, 

 and the month of February by others ; but per- 

 haps it is immaterial which period be chosen. If 

 spring is the time fixed upon, it should be as 

 early as possible, so that the plants may not have 

 made progress in vegetation before transplanting. 

 There are various modes of planting hedges, 

 some preferring the even ground, others forming 

 a mound, with a ditch at one side, and planting 

 either at the top or on a shelf in the side of the 

 mound ; others, again, making a ditch on each 

 side of the mound. If the land be good and dry, 

 the hawthorn will grow quite well upon the level 

 ground ; but if the soil be of a wet nature, either 

 one or two ditches will be required. The thorns 

 should be planted at the distance of about three 

 or four inches apart, and about the same depth as 

 they stood in the seed-bed. The plants should 

 then be covered with the finest mould, the points 

 little more than projecting from the front of the 

 mound. A wooden fence may be required to 

 protect the young hedge until it has acquired 

 size. 



After being planted, the hedge should be care- 

 fully gone over two or three times a year, to cut 

 up weeds. This operation must be performed 

 until the plants have reached some height, and 

 the weeds are completely eradicated, after which 

 the usual cleaning at the roots once a year will 

 be quite sufficient. The plants should never be 

 cut till after three years old, for if cut when 

 younger, the hedge becomes stunted, and is never 



608 



so healthy. Hedges, when properly established, 

 should be regularly pruned once a year. 



When hedges get bare and thin at the bottom, 

 they ought either to be cut over by the root, or to 

 have their sides dressed up close to the principal 

 stems. There is another method of repairing 

 thorn-hedges, which is called plasJting. It con- 

 sists in cutting half through the stems adjoining 

 the gap to be repaired, and then bending the 

 upper portion over the vacancy, fastening them 

 down by stakes, or by warping them into each 

 other. By this means a live-hedge is formed 

 more speedily than by planting young shoots, and 

 more effectually than by inserting dead branches. 

 The bent stems soon send out shoots ; and if the 

 plashing has been done with care, and that on 

 moderately young and pliant branches, it will be 

 found to be a cheap system, but not permanently 

 efficient. 



When thorn-hedges are cut too close by the 

 ground, the decayed stocks should not only be 

 taken out, but the earth where the stocks stood 

 should be replaced with good fresh soil. The 

 thorn-plants intended for filling up blanks should 

 be carefully selected from such as have been 

 transplanted two or three years, have stood thin 

 in the nursery-bed, are well rooted, and free 

 growers. 



In high exposed situations, having thin moorish 

 soils, or on hilly land composed of decomposed 

 granite, thorn-hedges are seldom if ever found to 

 thrive. In such situations, the beech has proved 

 itself superior to every other plant, either as an 

 assistant or a substitute for thorns. It retains 

 possession of the soil, and continues to thrive 

 when thorns decay or die out ; and when regularly 

 and judiciously cropped, it forms a compact fence, 

 which few animals will attempt to break through. 

 Indeed, experience has proved that, as a hedge- 

 plant, the beech will thrive in any climate or soil ; 

 and what is of essential importance, it retains its 

 leaves during winter, giving a genial warmth and 

 shelter, besides being highly ornamental. 



A very durable hedge for high situations with a 

 light soil may be formed by an admixture of thorn 

 and beech plants in the proportion of two of the 

 former to one of the latter. Such a fence not 

 only looks well, but lasts well, if trimmed with due 

 care and regularity. Latterly, furze or whins 

 have been employed with advantage as fences. 

 Many other shrubs and trees are used in live- 

 fencing. Among the most common of these are 

 the holly, the privet, and the yew, all of which 

 bear pruning and training almost to any degree. 



In maritime situations, where shelter is most 

 wanted, such hedge-plants as the hawthorn and 

 beech do not succeed ; but the sea-buckthorn 

 (Hippophae rhamnoides] forms an admirable sub- 

 stitute. When well cared for, it may be trained 

 into a neat and effective hedge, and does not 

 suffer from the sea-breeze, even in the most 

 exposed situations. The plane has also been 

 recommended as a sea-side hedge-plant, but is 

 inferior to buckthorn. 



