C 9 3 



On Hedges^ by Richard Peters. 



Read, July 9, 18U. 



Belmont, Juhj 8, 1811. 



Dear Sir, 



I enclose a letter from Mr. TVilliam A^eiil, on the 

 subject of hedges, detailing his mode of planting. He 

 says this practice is common in the county of Antrim, 

 in Ireland. Accident presented to me the opportunity 

 of seeing Mr. Neill's hedges, and I was highly grati- 

 fied, and instructed. He has no fear of frosts under- 

 mining his banks, after a year or two ; and is not much 

 alarmed at any time. I stated to him all my objec- 

 tions ; which did not seem to make an impression. I 

 never beheld more beautiful and flourishing young 

 hedges. The ride to his little farm would be amply re- 

 paid ; if any person wished to imitate his spirited exam- 

 ple. The whole operation can be viewed, from the com- 

 mencement of the work to its completion ; and more 

 learned in an hour, than could be understood from a 

 description on paper of any length, or minuteness. 

 He depends, for the security of his bank, and ditch, on 

 the roots of the thorn matting and retaining the earth 

 in its place. He says no accident has hitherto happen- 

 ed, occasioned by frosts. When we re-entered Phila- 

 delphia, in June 1778, after the British troops had re- 

 tired, a great part of the commons in the city plan 

 were neatly enclosed by ditches and sod banks, widi 

 bermes of about a foot or eighteen inches \\ Ide. Eut 

 the succeeding winter undermined almost the whole of 



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