On the Nature and Advantages of Inclosures. 173 



meadow, or early grass ; and some inclosed ground for cul- 

 tivation. Without such aids, the sheep-farmer can never 

 expect to escape the baneful effects of fatal distempers ; 

 nor can he improve the breed and character of his flock ; 

 nor maintain his sheep during severe weather, when they 

 are unable to dig through the frozen snow for subsistence ; 

 nor protect them from general destruction, during snow- 

 drifts, if the farm be entirely open. For these obvious rea- 

 sons, every sheep-farm ought, if possible, to be accommodated 

 with several inclosures, well fenced with strong walls, and 

 constructed in the most effectual and approved manner. 



6. Inclosures on New Farms. The plan of inclosure to. 

 be adopted on new farms, depends upon circumstances. If 

 a considerable extent of arable land must be separated from 

 mountain pasture, a ring-fence, consisting of a strong wall, 

 with a rough stone coping, placed edgewise, (the Galloway 

 dike), ought to be constructed for that purpose, within which 

 is to be comprehended, the arable land, the meadow, and 

 the cow-pasture ; and contiguous to this general fence, plan- 

 tations ought to be made for shelter and ornament. If the 

 whole farm, though bleakly situated^ be capable of cultiva- 

 tion, belts of planting ought to be formed on the more ex- 

 posed parts, and hedges raised as subdivisions. Besides the 

 hedge-rows, or belts of planting, the corners of the fields, 

 which are not accessible to the plough, may likewise be 

 planted. It is proper to give a bertd to the clump, that the 

 plough may be turned more easily : and, adjoining to this 

 clump of wood, a single pond, properly placed, may accom- 

 modate several fields ( 7 &). 



3. The Nature of the Fences. 



There is a great variety of fences, calculated for different 

 purposes; but the most generally used, are, 1. Stonewalls; 

 and, 2. Hedges of thorn, and other plants ( 7 f). 



1. Stone Walls. This species of fence has one advantage, 

 that, according to a common saying, " it is major from its 

 birth" or, in other words, attains its greatest perfection as 

 soon as made. Stone walls, however, have this disadvan- 

 tage, that they are gradually getting worse ; and, according 

 as they are well or ill executed, unless built with lime, re- 

 quire, at the rate of from one to two per cent, per annum, 

 to keep them in repair (Jtf. The propriety of erecting a 

 fence of this kind, depends much upon the nature and 

 quality of the soil to be inclosed ; the quantity and fitness 



