THE FOX 85 



the winter for the weather to pulverise: you will 

 thus get a good seed-bed to sow on in the spring. 

 It is absolutely necessary to have a fine soil on 

 top if you wish the gorse to grow well. The 

 seed must not be sown before the first of May, 

 as it is liable when in the first leaf to be killed by 

 frost. The ground ought to be harrowed three 

 or four times before sowing, and the seed can be 

 put in with an ordinary farm drill about ten 

 inches between the rows. After drilling, a roller 

 of medium weight should be used until the surface 

 is as firm and as smooth as a gravel-path. It 

 is very important that the ground should be 

 solid, as gorse roots do not go deep and a long 

 spell of dry weather would wither them up. Do 

 not spare the seed, as it is always easy enough 

 to chop some out if it comes too thick. The 

 weeds should be kept down for the first two 

 years between the rows, but the ground must 

 not be loosened in the operation of hoeing. 

 When there are rabbits, the young gorse must 

 be protected with wire-netting, and then you 

 may hope to see your covert hold a fox in 

 its third year. There is this objection to gorse, 

 that a very severe frost may cut the whole 



