26 On Live Hedges. 



very essential. This experiment was made on very- 

 light sandy soil. It is now almost a year since I made 

 the experiment, and it is very promising : the frost is 

 now out, and the mound remains perfectly firm and 

 whole : the cions started earlier than those that were set 

 out before and had root, and continued growing 

 through the season. We experienced a considerable 

 drought in August and September, but it did not affect 

 them in the least : they grew from three to four feet 

 high, leaving all their shoots on : I prefer leaving the 

 shoots on as they will grow the stronger, and will make 

 the better hedge : if one chance to die, the limbs will 

 fill up the vacancy, though there was not one of mine 

 died excepting a few which were girdled by a large 

 dung worm, which I supposed was occasioned by lay- 

 ing the manure on top : I would recommend keeping 

 the weeds from the top of the mound. The calculations 

 I make on this kind of fence are these : In the first 

 place, it is the most ornamental of any I ever saw, or 

 can conceive of ; 2d. It will come to perfection sooner 

 than any other live fence ; 3d. It will be by the high 

 way on loose soil, a means to harden the way by the 

 shade and roots ; 4th. It will be comfortable for the tra- 

 veller both summer and winter. I calculated very great 

 advantages from it in the winter season, as it will break 

 the winds, prevent the snows blowing in drifts ; the 

 trees will attract the sun : it will be much warmer in 

 winter as well as cooler in the summer by the shade. 

 I make a great calculation on the growth of this fence 

 for fuel : a few hundred rods will support a family with 

 it for fire-wood. I have made a similar kind of fence 

 where there was not sod to support the mound up a 



