HOW TO GROW GOOD FENCES. 255 



by the roots, not cut off, as this only makes a thicket 

 of a twig. 



After three or four years, if the growth be suffi- 

 ciently strong, the young hedge may be trimmed to 

 a desired shape with the shears or the hook ; but 

 if weak and straggling, we would strongly recom- 

 mend that the whole be boldly cut off within a few 

 inches of the base, the ground to be well dug and 

 even manured about the roots, and the protecting 

 railings to be put in order, and a new growth be 

 waited for, which, generally speaking, will not be 

 long — for by this means we believe that a good fence 

 will be sooner arrived at than by allowing weak wood 

 to go on growing still weaker. 



Hawthorn fences are sometimes allowed to get 

 several feet high before being brought into reason- 

 able dimensions, in which case they get smooth, 

 unarmed, and unbranched stems at the base. This 

 state of things is too often attempted to be cured 

 by cutting out a quantity of the wood and laying 

 the rest, by partially dividing them near the ground 

 — a plan which is called " plashing." This we think 

 highly objectionable : it would be far better to cut 

 off the whole to within a few inches of the ground, 

 and so trim the shoots as they grow again. 



The truth is, that plashing gets out of order, the 

 layered sticks get out of place, and the whole is 

 aided by stakes of dead wood, which soon decay, 

 or, if not, are almost certain to be removed by the 

 constant country claimants to dead sticks in general. 



"We prefer that no dead materials should be put 

 to a living fence ; for if there are gaps, it will be 

 best to dig the ground well and put in some young 



