HOW TO GROW GOOD FENCES. 221 



pensive, and in the next they are not esteemed as 

 hedge plants. They mostly find their way in the 

 fence by seeds being sown by the wind, as is often the 

 case with ash-keys, or they may start up a bush of 

 underwood after being cut down as hedge-row timber; 

 in either case they are very unsightly in appearance, 

 and far from good in hedges. Trees should not be 

 grow T n in hedge-rows where the fence is to be perfect, 

 as these overshadow the best hedge-plants, and the 

 sides of the boles always offer weak places. 



Beech and hornbeam are frequently used for gar- 

 den and smaller fences, and, when well grown, are 

 really useful as a protection, as their withered leaves 

 are persistent, that is, they do not fall off until 

 new ones are formed. They are grown compara- 

 tively quickly, and will flourish in poor light soils, 

 and if strong plants be made to cross each other in 

 planting, they may be trained to form a strong fence. 



In the second group, the whitethorn ( Cratcegus ox- 

 yacantha) stands deservedly at the top of the list ; in 

 fact, it is the very best hedge-row plant we possess. It 

 is not slow of growth in congenial soil, especially if well 

 attended to. Its thorns render it thoroughly repellant 

 to cattle. It bears cutting, clipping, and trimming 

 better than any other ; and though variable in its be- 

 haviour in different soils, it is, after all, capable of 

 bearing a greater diversity in this respect than any 

 other of our list. The whitethorn, then, is deservedly 

 held in the highest repute for the growth of the most 

 perfect live fence for all ordinary farm purposes ; the 

 blackthorn, crab, and buckthorn being tolerated only 

 because they possess some of the same characteristics 

 as the whitethorn. As regards the latter, it is exceed- 



