HOW TO GROW GOOD FENCES. 259 



CIIAPTER XXXIX. 



COVENANTS WITH REGARD TO FENCES, ETC. 



From what lias been already advanced, it will be seen 

 that the matter of fences is most important in con- 

 nection with the arrangements between landlord and 

 tenant. 



The landlord for the most part gets the same rent 

 for the land occupied by fences as for the whole of 

 the field, such land being calculated with the acreage ; 

 and, further, with the tenant-at-will he insists upon 

 their being kept in order — that is, if he cares for or 

 knows anything about order — at the expense of the 

 tenant. In leases there are usually inserted cove- 

 nants obliging annual trimming of fences and scour- 

 ing of ditches; but, generally speaking, the tenant does 

 just as much as he likes, and the landlord knows but 

 little about it. At the same time, annual trimming 

 of hedges would often be mischievous ; and again, as 

 some hedges would be well to be let grow tall, on 

 account of the shelter they might afford, there will be 

 so many circumstances to be considered in coming to 

 a right conclusion about what should be done to 

 fences, that it is no wonder that covenants are only 

 insisted upon in a very partial manner, and the care- 

 less farmer, instead of repairing hedges in a perma- 

 nent manner, is content to mend gaps — or " shards," 

 as they are called in the midland counties — only when 



