APPENDIX. 43 



fhelter it affords, gives a warmth and chearfulnefs to 

 the whole during the year round. The violence of the 

 winds is more completely broken by fowing in patches, 

 than in lines, as the fhelter, afforded by the latter 

 mode, is only partial ; the young plants are alfo more 

 eafily preferved from being Twitched by the broom, in 

 Cafes of patches, than in thofe of lines. 



Though heretofore the practice of fowing furze-feed 

 id* patches has been adopted, yet the end, for which it 

 was intended, had not always the defired effect. It 

 never makes fo rapid a progrefs, or, at leaft, is lefs 

 confpicuous in patches, than on the backs of ditches, 

 in the fame fpace of time. On the back of a ditch it 

 \vill make a figure, and afford flicker the fecond fea- 

 fon ; whereas, in patches, it performs little of either in 

 lefs than four years, by which time the plantation ge- 

 nerally affords itfelf fufficient (belter. The end of 

 anfwering the protection of game is alfo frequently 

 defeated, and efpecially where Scotch fir is thickly 

 planted, which, in high fituations, is here always the 

 cafe. So foon as the Scotch fir begins to meet, from 

 that period there is an end to any advantage arifing 

 from furze fown with a view of fhelter through plan- 

 tations j fo that, on the whole, broom fhould be pre- 

 ferred for temporary flicker ; but on the backs of 

 ditches furze-feed fhould be always fown in preference 

 to broom, on account of the great length of time it 

 lafts when regularly cut. Here it is always fowa 



broad-caft 



