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occasionally, when it will be necessary to protect the 

 burnt portion as before against rabbits. 



If the gorse occupies only some three or four acres. 

 and it is desired to put off as long as possible the day 

 of cutting down, it should never be allowed to exceed 

 four feet in height. A man clad in leather, covering 

 his legs and up to the armpits, should get to work with 

 splasher or garden shears taking off the tops and as 

 far as possible trimming the sides. This should be done 

 every year and the best time is about May. By 

 periodical trimming the Iffe of a gorse covert can be 

 prolonged almost indefinitely, and the cutting down 

 avoided, which would make it useless for two years as 

 a home for foxes. 



On heavy soil the most satisfactory plant is the 

 blackthorn, and stooling freely as well as throwing 

 up shoots from branching roots, it soon covers the 

 ground. Like gorse and other young plants it should 

 be kept free from weeds for the first two years, and can 

 then be left alone. The best time for planting is about 

 the middle of March or earlier if possible. The mistake 

 is often made of planting too close. My own opinion 

 is that three feet each way is quite close enough and 

 allows room for the hoe to be kept going in the summer 

 By giving each plant plenty of room at the start, they 

 become more vigorous and the roots have a better 

 chance of getting a firm hold of the soil. In the second 

 year it is a good plan to sow seeds of the strong rough 

 grass which grows luxuriantly under shelter. 



These grasses of which I think there are three or 

 four kinds, can be supplied by any good seedsman 

 and are beloved by foxes, but when the blackthorn 

 is strong they do not make much headway. If the 

 covert is big enough to afford the space it is a good 



