THE SCREEX-FEXCE. 301 



appropriate a beech-hedge may be near shrubberies. 

 The sweet-briar, too, is frequently mixed with the thorn, 

 and no doubt imparts a delightful perfume to the air, 

 after a shower in summer, but it soon kills the thorns 

 in its vicinity. The crab-apple also overcomes thorns 

 iu hedges. Indeed, we have only to view the hedges 

 in the south of England, to be convinced of the noxious 

 effects of intermixing other plants with the thorn." 



In high and exposed situations the screen-fence is 

 strikingly useful. This is a belt of trees planted chiefly 

 for the purpose of shelter, and therefore formed of such 

 trees as will grow best on the particular soil, and protect 

 best at all seasons the crops or the live-stock they may 





SCREEN-FENCE. 



be designed for. In low grounds this sort of fence is 

 not only unnecessary, but actually mischievous ; while 

 on high lands it might be much more extensively used 

 o the advantage of the farmer. There are wide tracts 

 of land, much exposed to the violence of the wind, 

 which would be very much improved by the shelter 

 thus afforded. Screen-fences are very commonly made 

 of spruce-fir intermingled with larch ; but the latter is 

 not fit to be used alone, because it loses its leaves in 

 winter. When a large proportion of the fence consists 

 of larch, a close belt of spruce should be planted outside, 

 and kept low and bushy. Where the soil will admit of 

 it, screen-fences may be made of other trees, such as 



