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O N 



D I T C H E S AKD HEDGES: 



Hi- EZRA VHOMMEDIEU, es^ 



V JC E-PRESID t NT OF THE CORPORATION. 



THE fcarcity of timber in many parts of this ftate for fencing 

 ■'A'here there are no Hones for walls, has greatly affeded the 

 price of land, and farmers wiM foon be in a very difa.greeable 

 fituation unlefs fome expedient be found for fencing their 

 farms at a cheaper rate, in the old fettled parts of the country, 

 than is at prefent praclifed. In many parts of the new 

 fettkments too there is but very little timber fuitable for fencing 

 the inconveniences of which will foon be felt by the inhabitants. 

 In confidering this fubje£t itwili readily occur that Ditches and 

 Hedges can be the only fubftitute where there is no ftone. It 

 will be worth the attention of this Society to get information 

 of the bed method of making Ditches and raifmg Hedges, 

 that the fame may be communicated for the benefit of the 

 public. This fubject is much talked of by farmers ; but fmce 

 the deflrudion of the prim and the EngliJJi black tkorn, few 

 attempts have been made to raife hedges in any manner 

 whatever. In the town of Eaft Hampton, in Suffolk county^ 

 by the beft computation, at leall two hundred mtles of good 

 prim-hedge died in the courfe of two or three years, which 

 was a greater lofs to the inhabitants than if every houfe in the 

 townfhip had been burnt down at the time ; it has not as yet 

 been difcovered what occafioned the deflruction of the prim. 



