LIVE HEDGES. 



113 



ground in three or four years. In clay, or in a moist 

 loam, they sometimes last twelve years ; and in a 

 meadow they will last as long as the rail, and the part 

 that is entirely under ground much longer. 



Now, as the expense of rails that last so long is tri- 

 fling, let us have some permanent posts for our high 

 lands. Let us plant an apple-tree every twelve feet on 

 the line of the fence. Let there be one or two sprouts 

 growing from the ground, or procure crotched trees 

 from the nursery, that will support three rails : this 

 may be very easily done, and within three years from 

 the setting, they will be so strong that you may inter- 

 weave the rails among these sprouts and branches in 

 such a manner as to support them firmly. 



By placing your trees twelve feet apart, the roots 

 have room to grow : not so when you place thorn or 

 other shi'ubs within two feet of each other. . But your 

 apple-trees will in a short time make good posts that 

 will last as long as the rails ; and, when you trim, you 

 get something to pay you for trimming. When you 

 do not trim, you get something, too, besides a post for 

 your fence ; for you may have as good fruit here as in 

 your garden, if you will turn over a furrow or two 

 every three years near the row of trees. 



The apples from the trees will not hurt your cattle 

 on either side of the fence ; but if you wish to secure 

 all the fruit to yourself, ingraft the trees with winter 

 fruit, and pick it in September. If you ever become 

 tired of this kind of fence, which cannot cost you 

 much money, the wood of the trees will pay you for 

 cutting ; but you would better let them stand, and you 

 may place posts in such a position that they will be 

 supported by the trees. Such posts will stand much 

 longer than posts unsupported. 



Natural hedges of oak, maple, birch, &c. are a very 

 cheap fence, and easily kept in repair : they are too 

 much in the way for cross-fences, but when their line 

 is beside a wood-lot, by lopping down some of the 



