HOW TO GROW GOOD FENCES. 263 



system of fences. They want lessening, as the land 

 is cut up into far too many awkward little pieces. 

 They want straightening and paralleling, if we may 

 so express it. They should, too, be kept within due 

 compass, both as to breadth and height, so that 

 altogether, as to material, mode of planting, position, 

 and general supervision, the hedge-row really is in 

 want of that kind of treatment which only a far- 

 seeing, comprehensive overseer can direct, and which, 

 were we to come into the possession of a large estate, 

 would be the first process for its amelioration and 

 improvement that we should attend to. 



In fact, it may be said that this subject is daily 

 receiving a greater share of attention, and that for a 

 reason at first little suspected; but the truth is, 

 steam is asserting its power on the farm as on the 

 road, and as the engine marches into our fields, fences 

 will be levelled before his mightiness — all sorts of 

 crooked corners and queer-shaped angles will be 

 removed, and the whole will assume a more regular 

 outline. 



There are moral evils connected with bad fences 

 which we think have hardly been duly considered. 

 We have hinted at their encouragement of tres- 

 passers and fostering of idle habits. 



In our own parish are gaps leading from one field 

 and from one farm to another. This encourages idle 

 vagabonds to go anywhere — everywhere — on pretence 

 of shooting small birds, many of which are often of 

 more value than themselves ; and if there is no gap 

 already, how easy to push through twigs of cornel, 

 ash, guelder rose, &c. &c. 



Such hedges, again, are mended with dead thorns 



