Common Whm, as a Hedge Plant. 43 



thorns being well and constantly pointed up and cleaned, be- 

 came a sheep fence, and the trees a thriving shelter of from 

 14 to 16 ft. high. 



But I beg leave to suggest to those who may have similar 

 high and open farms to enclose and shelter, that a quick fence 

 may be obtained much sooner, by running the quick in the 

 middle of the plantation, and leaving a space of two yards on 

 each side of the quick, which will give good I'oom for light, 

 air, cleaning, &c. ; putting the posts and rails on the outside 

 of the plantation, as before. Here there is a saving of thorn 

 plants of one half in the first instance, and a saving of one 

 half the expense in cleaning afterwards : and as the young 

 hedge will be sheltered on both sides by the plantation, I sup- 

 pose a sufficient fence will be obtained in two thirds of the 

 time it will take in any other way, and at the end of eight or 

 nine years, when the posts and rails begin to fail, the thorn 

 fence will be effective, and the timber trees on each side of it 

 in such a state as not to be injured by sheep. Indeed no 

 cattle will eat any of the pine and fir tribe, more especially the 

 larch, and that tree is found to succeed the best of any in 

 these high, dry, and exposed situations. 



I am. Sir, &c. 



D. Anderson. 

 Driffield^ Yorkshire, 'Novemher 15. 1828. 



Art. XII. On the Common Whin (U7e.r europce'us), as a Hedge 

 Plant. By T. H. 



Sir, 

 It is the general opinion that the common tsoJiiii is a very 

 troublesome guest, and one which seems only to cumber the 

 ground ; but in the course of my wanderings this summer, I 

 have frequently observed them put to a very good use, parti- 

 cularly in the neighbourhood of Mr. Ginge's splendid mansion 

 at the entrance to the Devil's Glen, in Wicklow, where I 

 observed the cultivation of xvhins into hedges, and right excel- 

 lent fences they make. Perhaps they may require to be 

 planted on embankments, but whether they do so or not, 

 certainly nothing could be more secure and unbroken than 

 those on Mr. Ginge's property. Nor are these uncommon in 

 Ireland. I have observed them in other counties, and better 

 hedges could scarcely be, unless it were holly ; and furze 

 grows where holly will not, and in at least one fiftieth part of 

 the time. Add to this, they bloom in the most beautiful 



