254 THE NURSERY. [MARCH. 



foot wide. The more your ground is subject to slip by heavy rains, 

 the greater slope must be given to the bank side. 



Begin by cutting the surface sod of the ditch, into squares of con- 

 venient size, and about three inches deep, having previously lined 

 out and cut both sides with a spade, sloping inwards as above inti- 

 mated, and lay a row of them, with the grassy surface under, six 

 inches inward from the edge on the bank side ; lay on top of this 

 row of sods, two inches of the loose and mellow earth, that is, the 

 best the ditch affords, and also a quantity of it behind them, for 

 about eighteen inches or two feet, breaking it very fine with the 

 spade ; on this lay your quicks nearly in a horizontal manner, their 

 tops being a little elevated, and at the distance of six inches one 

 from the other, and so far in, that 3 or 4 inches of their tops may 

 remain uncovered when the ditch is finished. Spread the roots to 

 advantage, and cover them well with the mouklry earth that drop- 

 ped from the surface sod : this is necessary, in order to give their 

 roots the advantage of the best soil, and should on no account be ne- 

 glected. Then proceed to finish your ditch and bank, laying the re- 

 mainder of the surface sods in front of the bank, as you had done 

 with the first row, giving it exactly a similar' slope to that of the 

 ditch, and the whole bank such a form, as if it was taken up at 

 once out of the ditch, and turned upside down. The scarcement 

 left in front, throws the bank so far back, as not to bear heavily on 

 the side of the ditch to crush it down, and it also will re- 

 ceive and retain a considerable portion of the rain that slides down 

 along the face of the bank, by which means the earth in front will 

 be kept in a more moist state, than if no such thing was left. 



Were you to lay in two rows of quicks in the front, the second 

 eight or nine inches above the first, and the plants in each row nine 

 or ten distant, placing those of the upper, opposite the intervals of 

 the lower, it would be the most effectual method of making a better 

 and more immediate fence. A very slight paling, on top of the 

 bank, that will defend the quick for three years, will be sufficient ; 

 and if the land in front is not in cultivation, but under stock, a si- 

 milar fence may be necessary to prevent their going into the ditch, 

 and reaching the plants ; but if you take particular care to keep 

 them constantly wed, for the two first years, which is absolutely ne- 

 cessary, or all is lost labour, they will have the less inducement to 

 approach them. 



There are many other methods of making hedge and ditch 

 fences ; but having found, from ample experience, the above to be 

 the most successful, I shall ?confine myself exclusively to it, lest 

 too much speculation might lead people astray, and retard the pro- 

 gress of this important business. 



Ground-Hedges. 



The best method of planting a hedge on a level, or without a 

 ditch, is to plough a slip of ground on each side of the intended 

 line of fence the preceding spring, and having previously dunged 

 it, to plant it with potatoes ; taking the ordinary care to keep 



