On Hedging, 19 



of the season, as it is only when the shoots are young 

 and tender that cattle will crop them. 



PREPARATION OF THE HEDGE COURSE. 



When the soil is tolerably good and clear of impe- 

 diments, the track of the hedge will require no other 

 preparation than what is commonly bestowed on the 

 contiguous field for a crop of wheat or rye. Deep 

 ploughing, however, will always be found beneficial 

 and where the trench plough is known, the use of it in 

 preparing the course will be found greatly to conduce 

 towards the strong and rapid growth of the hedges af- 

 terwards. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that the 

 spade is superior to the plough, in cultivating the soil, 

 in all cases where the different amount of expenses are 

 not taken into the account; but in common practice, 

 and on an extensive scale, the plough will be perfectly 

 sufiicient, assisted by a neat harrow, to do the whole 

 work of previous preparation, considering that methods 

 of saving time, expense and labour are always, when 

 practicable, matters of high estimate to the American 

 husbandman. 



Where the soil in which a hedge is intended to be 

 planted is worn out by crops, or is naturally thin, good 

 Culture and manure also sometimes ought to be employ- 

 ed to overcome its sterility; when this is the condition 

 of the ground, these beneficial preparatives ought to be 

 applied several months at least before the planting of 

 the hedge, and if done one whole year before hand so 

 much the better. If the soil is not brought into a con- 

 dition of being capable of producing strong weeds of 



