HEDGES. 153 



to be elevated with that of agriculture, by the leasing of the land 

 in larger tracts, and to men of larger capital. It is true that the 

 tendency is to increase the rate of wages and give employment to 

 more hands ; but it is also evident that, by the engrossment of 

 several small farms in one large one, a number of persons must 

 be reduced from the comparatively independent position of small 

 farmers to that of laborers, and I cannot see that for this there is 

 any compensating moral advantage. 



Another evil of the small farms (not exclusively however), is 

 the quantity of land injured or withdrawn from cultivation by 

 the fences. These are almost universally hedges ; and not only 

 are they left untrimmed and straggling, thereby shading and 

 feeding upon the adjoining land, but a great many large trees 

 have been allowed to grow up in them, of course to the injury of 

 any crops under their branches. These are sometimes kept low, 

 the limbs being trimmed off for firewood (in which case they are 

 called pollards), or are left to grow naturally. In the latter case, 

 of course, they add exceedingly to the beauty of the landscape, 

 and eventually become of value for timber ; but high as this is 

 here, I cannot at all believe it will ever compensate for the loss 

 occasioned to the farm-crops. Where every five or ten acres is 

 surrounded by a hedge and ditch, the damage done cannot be 

 slight. By way of improvement, we have seen where lately 

 some hedges have been grubbed up, two old fields being thrown 

 together. We have also seen a few wire fences in use. These 

 latter were very slightly set up, and could hardly be intended for 

 permanence. We have also seen some fine, low, narrow hedges, 

 taking up but little room, and casting but little shade. When a 

 hedge is thus well made and kept, I am inclined to esteem it the 

 most economical fence. The yearly expense of trimming it is 

 but trifling (less than one cent a rod), and it is a perfect barrier 

 to every thing larger than a sparrow. The farmers seem to set 



