258 HOW TO GROW GOOD FENCES. 



compelling this hedge to be annually trimmed — a pro- 

 cess which has not been performed for many years, 

 but which we shall hereafter show should be done, 

 especially where hedges have been properly cared for, 

 for the due keeping of the fence itself; but further, we 

 feel convinced that a proprietor should be able to call 

 upon the owner of a neighbouring estate to keep his 

 portion of the fences within such bounds as may not 

 be injurious. 



In the case before us, what is best to be done ? Cus- 

 tom says, " Lay it ; plash it." Still, the materials 

 are not suitable for this process. " Cut it down and 

 it will shoot up again," says the hedger, who would 

 be ready to do • the work for the wood ; but mark, 

 that in order to get as much as possible, it would be 

 cut close to the ground. Our plan will be to cut it 

 at about a yard from the top of the mound, and 

 afterwards to watch the young shoots, so as carefully 

 to trim them, in order to induce them to throw out 

 laterals, and thus make, at least, a thick growth, 

 though of unpromising materials. 



With regard to trimming by the piece : if it be 

 really a well-grown quick-set hedge, the keeping it to 

 a certain standard may be easily accomplished ; but 

 if it be a weakly growth of all kinds of shrubs, the 

 labourer slashes as close to the ground as he can 

 with the hook, in order to " have something to cut 

 against " — a process which only makes the hedges 

 weaker the oftener it is performed. 



