36 EXPENCE OF POLLARDS. 



across, and the pits for their reception a little more. 

 When the soil is poor, a few spadefuls from the 

 nearest fields should be allowed, or as much compost, 

 if it may be had; and for the better firming of the 

 roots, and preserving of moisture, it is of no small 

 use to throw around every stem a quantity of loose 

 stones, which take in all the rain that falls, and 

 exclude the sun. For protection, the top being 

 high enough to surmount all bestial, nothing more 

 is requisite than a handful of thorns tied round the 

 stems, to ward off the necks of cattle, the teeth of 

 sheep, and the poisonous grease of their wool. 

 There is no nicety of seasons as to planting; any 

 time of soft weather, from the fall of the leaf to the 

 middle of April, will do; but the earliest is the 

 best chance, save where too much wet might cause 

 rotting and in that case, it is better to plant just 

 on the opening of the bud. 



It is gratifying to remark, that the whole ex- 

 pence of lifting, transporting, (where the distance 

 is within a mile,) making pits, planting, and defend- 

 ing, does not exceed thirty shillings per hundred 

 a number quite sufficient to relieve the stiffness of 

 the garden fence, and ornament every field of the 

 glebe. And why, throughout the country, are 

 fields so generally bare why is the harshness of 

 stone dykes so long unmitigated? One pound is 

 no great price for an elm; and how short a period 

 might not the thirty shillings grow into a hundred 

 pounds! England has less plantation than Scot- 

 and, yet England seems all wood, and Scotland all 



