232 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



answered in every direction, by all the individuals 

 vvilliin hearing. 



The greater part of the second volume of Colo- 

 nel SmiTh's work is devoted to the doss, properly 

 eo called, and contains an interesting history of all 

 ■the more important breeds, including all the kinds 

 with which we are so lamiliar. He likewise 

 enters at some length into^the consideration ofthe 

 breeds as known to ihe ancients, a subject ol 

 somewhat difficult investigation, but full ot inter- 

 est, both as illustrating the changes which the 

 various races have undergone, and as throwing 

 lighten many passages in the Greek and Roman 

 classics. 



As a specimen of this portion of the work, we 

 subjoin the following extracts. " Of all carnivo- 

 rous quadrupeds, dogs posse^s ihe greatest varie- 

 ty of modulations in their voices;* ihey baik, 

 bay, howl, yelp, whine, cry, growl, and snarl, ac- 

 cording to the emotions they lijel. W*en en- 

 couraging each other in liuntinir, expressing the 

 JantTuage'of authority ; in watchfulness, at dislanf 

 noises, or displeasure at particular sounds, in pain 

 or sullering, they have an expressive moan ; a 

 ffuttural or tremulous squeal, under impatience ; 

 a snarl, in anger; and a kind of shriek, when 

 their passions are excited to (erocity. Who is 

 there so little observant as not to know, almost 

 by the sound of the first note, the peculiar bark 

 of the drovei and shepherd's dog, half intonated 

 as the expression of delegated authority, and 

 understood by the flock or the drove, the more 

 earnest repetition when the first signal is dis- 

 recarded, followed by the low and bluff sound, 

 conveying a menace, and at length the sharp 

 snarl, when he finds it necessary to enforce obe- 

 dience, by running to the spot, and execute his 

 orders with well-counterfeited anger ; or, if disap- 

 pointed, the half howling bay of lamentation at 

 the failure? All these emotions are expressed in 

 a language which marks the sinoular endowments 

 bestowed by the Creator's fiat, lor purposes that 

 cannot well be mistaken, nor be studied without 

 calling on our sympathy and affection. Dogs, 

 likewise, express 'rnost significantly, by the voice, 

 their desire to be admitted within doors, and still 

 more in begging with perseverance ; or, in resent- 

 ment, when treated with contempt. They are 

 jealous of their master's favor, quick in discover- 

 ing the respectable, ipsolent to the poor, selfish in 

 fTormandising, tyrannical among their meaner 

 inferiors, and fawning upon their superiors; injury 

 they resent with the discretion and pertinacity of 

 politicians." — Vol. ii. p. 83. 



The sagacity of the canine species, their bene- 

 volent feelings, prescience of impending danger, 

 instinctive comprehension of the nature of pro- 

 perty, fidelity, &c. the author illustrates by nume- 

 rous striking anecdotes, several of which had not 

 before I'allen under our observ^ation. For these, 

 we mus* refer to the volume ilself. Under Ihe 

 head of " Pointer," we find the Ibllowing re- 

 marks : — "In their present qualities of standing 

 fixed and pointing to game, we see the result of a 



long course ol' severe training ; and it is a curiou=! 

 fact, that, by a succession of generations having 

 been constantly educated for this purpose, it has 

 become almost innate, and young dogs of the 

 true breed point with scarcely any instruction. 

 This habit is so firm in some, that the late JMr. 

 Gilpin is reported to liave painted a brace of poin- 

 ters while in the act, and that they stood an hour 

 and a quarter without moving. These dogs were 

 named Pluto and Juno, and were the property of 

 Col. Thornton. Dash, another pointer belonging 

 to the-same sportsman, was sold for £160 worth 

 of Burgundy and Champagne, one hogshead of 

 claret, an elegant gun, and a pointer, with the 

 proviso that if an accident should disable the dog, 

 it was to be returned to the Colonel at the price 

 of £50 1" 



* As a singular proof of this, we may mention the 

 singular case communicated to the French Academy 

 of Sciences, by the celebrated Leibnitz, of a dog 

 that had been taught to modulate his voice, so as to be 

 able to repeat intelligibly the words required to ask for 

 coifee, tea, and chocolate ! 



ON A PRINCIPLE OF FKNCING, 



Formed according to the laws of vegetable phy- 

 siology. 



From tlie (London) Farmers' Magazine. 



At a recent meeting of the Botanical Society of 

 London, the lijilowing account was given by Mr, 

 Daniel Cooper, the curator, of a mode of furmirig 

 a iencework to plantations, &c., of a very eco- 

 nomical and rustic kind, and which may be termed 

 with all propriety a " natural living fenced 

 We are induced to give a full abstract ofthe com- 

 munication, (irom the first part of the society's 

 proceedings,) as we think the suggestion might 

 ofiier some points of interest to our country 

 readers. 



The natural living fence consists 'simply of 

 planting lor the purpose trees or shoots of the 

 same species, or species of the same genus, or 

 genera of the same natural family, and causing 

 them to unite by means of the process of " graf- 

 ting by approach or inarching,^'' a process well 

 understood by gardeners and horticulturists. The 

 lact having been briefly stated, it is necessary, in 

 the next place, to en'er more fuliy into an ex- 

 planation of the plan to be adopted. . In the first 

 instance it is requisite to culfivaiea portion olland, 

 for the purpose of rearing the shoots intended for 

 Ibrming the lence. Those which I had tfie oppor- 

 tunity of observing (on the estate of Sir Thomas 

 N eaves, Dagnam Park, Essex, constructed by 

 his gardener and planter Mr. Breese) were form- 

 ed of ash, t)ut of course any other tree would 

 similarly unite and answer the end required. The 

 faster the tree grows, and produces new wood, 

 the elronger and better the fence necessarily be- 

 comes. The shoots or small trees are run up (as 

 termed by gardeners), and kept trimmed so as to 

 produce stems as straight as possible. These are 

 trained to the heights required, depending upon 

 the intended height of the fence. As soon as 

 they have acquired sufficient age they are care- 

 fully transplanted, a trench of two feet in vvidth 

 being previously made in the line of the intended 

 fence, it being found necessary to surround the 

 roots with earih of a richer nature than that usu- 

 ally met with, where fences are to be placed, such 

 as the outskirts of wood, plantations, parks, &c. 

 The trench having been made and prepared, the 

 1 stems are then carefully removed ; one set being 



