158 THE FORMAL GARDEN IN ENGLAND vir 



again classifies the reasons for preferring white- 

 thorn for hedges : (i) it grows quickest, and is 

 most easily trimmed ; (2) it is stronger and 

 most durable ; (3) it is of a delicate colour ; 

 (4) it puts out its leaves the earliest in spring. 

 Markham allows five to seven years for a quick- 



Fig. 34. — Hedge, from Markham's Country Fuvm. 



set of white-thorn. In The Country Farm he 

 gives some designs for the shaping of hedges. 

 The quarters of his garden are to be fenced with 

 " fine curious hedges made battlement-wise in 

 sundrie forms according to invention, or carrying 

 the proportions of Pyllasters, flowers, shapes of 

 beasts, birds, creeping things, shippes, trees and 

 such-like." A framework is to be formed of 



