HOW TO GROW GOOD FENCES. 237 



As regards the plants of this list, it will only be 

 necessary to refer to a few of them, in order the 

 more fully to impress the principles we have laid 

 down. 



The roses (briars) and brambles, though spinous, 

 are yet short-lived; so that their old wood is con- 

 tinually dying out, thus causing gaps, inasmuch 

 as such heavily-foliaged plants necessarily prevent 

 the growth of the whitethorn or any other tolerable 

 hedge-plant. But, besides tbis, the bramble has the 

 propensity to root at the ends of its long flexile 

 branches, and so spreads the pest in every direction, 

 not escaping the ditch when it forms part of the 

 fence, that the whole becomes smothered up in a 

 tangled, inextricable mass, always out of order and 

 unsightly, making but a poor fence, though affording 

 shelter to hares, rabbits, and other farm pests. 



The clematis and ivy are large-foliaged plants, and 

 their pliant stems interlace on the hedge in such a 

 manner as most surely to kill out the quicks, and so 

 to become the usurping tenants ; but, no sooner have 

 they attained the mastery than they begin to decay, 

 w r hole branches die, and the result is a gap, w r hich 

 must either be patched up with thorns or be newly 

 planted, and then fenced with post and rails. As 

 regards mending gaps with thorns, we ought to 

 state that we view it as decidedly injurious, — as dead 

 matter in proximity with the living only prevents 

 the growth of the latter : at best it is only a 

 makeshift, which soon gets rotten, and tempts the 

 petty wood-pilferer to pull the hedge further to 

 pieces for the sake of a few dry sticks. 



With regard to those plants of which we may 



