Book IV. HEDGE-FENCES. 433 



grow sufficiently strong or thick to form a proper fence. The advocates for this fence 

 farther allege, that in addition to the two rows of plants forming a more sufficient fence, 

 an opportunity is alForded of planting a row or rows of trees on the middle of the bank. 

 ^!S(^/ fiSl {fis- 381.). This fence is liable to many objections: the ex- 



pense of forming the ditches, the hedge-plants made use of, and 

 the ground occupied thereby, being double of what is re- 

 's quisite in a single ditch and hedge. From twelve to eighteen 

 J or twenty feet is the least that is required for a double ditch 



and hedge : this space, in the circumference of a large field, is so considerable, that 

 upon a fiirm of 500 acres, divided into fifteen enclosures, the fences alone would occupy 

 above forty acres. By throwing up a bank in the middle, the whole of the nourish- 

 ment, not only of both hedges, but also of the row of trees, is confined solely to that 

 space, which, from its being insulated by the ditches, and elevated so much above the 

 common surface, not only curtails the nourishment of the hedges and row of trees, 

 but exposes them to all the injuries arising from drought, frost, &c. Tlie idea of two 

 rows of plants making a better fence than one is certainly no good reason for such ant 

 unnecessary waste of land and money ; as, in almost every instance, where the plants 

 are properly adapted to the soil and climate, olie row will be found quite sufficient; 

 but, if it should be preferred to have two rows, the purpose will be answered equally 

 well with a single ditch, or even without a ditch at all. 



SuBSEcr. 2. Of Hedge- Fences. 



2780. Hedge-fences are of two kinds ; either such as are made up of dead materials, 

 or such as are formed of living plants of some sort or other. 382 



278 1 . Dead hedges (Jig. 382.) are made with the prunings of 

 trees, or the tops of old thorn or other hedges that have been 

 cut down; and are principally intended for temporary purposes, 

 such as the protection of young hedges till they have acquired a 

 sufficient degree of strength to render them fencible without WS!MS(\WffiM41^S\'l 

 any other assistance. For this purpose the dead hedge is well adapted, and lasts so Ion"- 

 as to enable the live fence to grow up and complete the enclosure. In many cases 

 however, dead hedges are had recourse to as the sole fence, and where there is no inten- 

 tion of planting quicks, or any other hedge. From their very perishable nature, however, 

 they are found to be exceedingly expensive ; so much so, indeed, that, after the first or 

 second year, they cannot be kept in repair at a less expense than from a fifth to a tenth 

 part of the value of the land, and sometimes more. When dead hedges are meant for 

 the protection of young live fences, if the quick fence is planted upon the common sur- 

 face, the dead hedge is made in a trench or furrow immediately behind it, in such a way 

 as to prevent the sheep or cattle grazing in the enclosed field from injuring it. Where 

 the quick fence, however, is planted upon the side of a ditch, the dead hedge is for the 

 most part made on the top of the mound formed by the earth taken out of the ditch : 

 these are called plain dead hedges, being made by cutting the thorns or brush-wood, of 

 which they consist, into certain lengths, and putting them into the earth. We call them 

 plain, in opposition to other descriptions of dead hedges where more art is used : such 

 as the dead hedge with upright stakes wattled, and the common plaited hedge bound 

 together at the top with willows. 



2782. In respect to live hedges they are made either entirely with one kind of plants, or a mixture of 

 diiferent kinds ; and for that purpose almost every tree or shrub known in Britain is either wholly or in 

 part employed. The success of every attempt made to rear good fences will be found ultimately to depend 

 on the plants being suited to the soil and climate, the preparation of the soil, the time and mode of plant- 

 ing, the age of the plants, their size, the dressing or pruning of the tops and roots betbre planting, weed- 

 ing, hoeing, pruning, and after-management. 



2783. The j}roper choice of hedge plants is of the first importance. Many failures in 

 this part of the business might be enumerated ; especially in the more elevated situations, 

 where great labor and expense have been employed to raise hedges of hawthorn, which, 

 after many years' care and attention, were found totally unfit for such inclement regions. 

 In such situations, experience has now sufficiently proved, that good fences can be 

 reared in a short time with beech, birch, larch, and the Huntingdon willow : hedges of 

 these kinds ought, therefore, to be the only ones used in hilly countries, or upon cold 

 wet soils ; the three first upon the dry soils, and the last, with the addition of poplars, 

 upon such as are wet or marshy. In the low country, however, and in the less elevated 

 parts of the uplands, the white thorn will be found the best upon all the dry, or mode- 

 rately dry, parts of the soil; especially the difterent kinds of loamy, sandy, or gravelly 

 lands : upon clays, or cold wet soils, however, beech, crab, birch, poplar, willow, and 

 alder, may be used with advantage. The birch, poplar, alder, and Huntingdon willow, 

 are peculiarly calculated for the coldest, wettest, and most marshy parts ; while beech, 

 crab, &c. will be found to answer best upon the stiff clays. Hazel, sweet-briar, moun- 

 tain-ash, and indeed all the different kinds of forest-trees that are at present known to 



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