306 



SKETCHES OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 



Let xis now return to the live fence, with which, in 

 the southern counties, we are most familiar. In the 

 first season after planting little need be done to a live 

 hedge, and in after years a little attention to weeding, 

 and very simple management, will preserve a fence in 

 vigour. There are different opinions as to the pruning 

 of hedges ; but many practical men recommend that the 

 top of the hedge be scarcely touched for some years. It 

 is true that by cutting off the tops eveiy year a great 

 quantity of small brushwood is formed in the hedge, but 

 there is no growth of substantial branches. For when 

 the operation is continually repeated, the hedge becomes 

 so extremely subdivided that it is a mere brush of small 

 twigs, without any strong shoots to give it support. 

 Such a hedge bends and yields so much to any pressure 

 against it, that half its value as fence is lost. The 

 better plan seems to be, to allow the main stems to grow 

 up to the intended height, and to acquire their full size 

 before they are touched by the pruning-knife, the side 

 branches only being kept short. Having reached the 

 desired height, the hedge may then be safely trimmed 

 and kept in shape, and will soon present a thick brush 



\ThY-T .IMill.D HKDGE. 



of wood on the outside, covering a strong and 3 ubstan- 

 tial growth within. A hedge of this kind is as solid as 

 . wall ; and when the tops have been newly-trimmed and 

 deprived of their foliage, it has somewhat the above ap- 



