280 



THE NURSERY. 



[MARCH 



young productions will have the benefit of the air, and grow much 

 stronger than otherwise. 



Old overgrown fences, which have been planted in the hedge and 

 ditch way, may be all cut clean off with the saw, within six inches 

 of their roots, and the fallen earth in the bottom of the ditch dug 

 up and laid at the back of them; they will shoot vigorously, and 

 soon form a fine fresh hedge. 



Large ground hedges will be improved by cutting them down at 

 intervals of ten or fifteen years, to the height of three, four, or five 

 feet, and where vacancies occur, to fill them with plashing, always 

 preferring, on these occasions, the saw to the bill, especially when 

 the shoots are large. 



CLIPPING WITS SHEARS. 



The old method of clipping the yew, and other trees, is represented 

 by the following cut ; it is an ancient yew at Elvaston Castle, Eng- 

 land, and is probably the best specimen now in existence. It forms 

 a beautiful clipped arbor, fifteen feet square and twenty feet high, 

 and very perfect, being surmounted by two peacocks, and over them 

 two rings, all made with the shears. 



Fig. 27. 



