26 On Hedging. 



by new plants, as soon as the state of the soil and the 

 weather will permit. 



Every person who attempts to form a live fence, 

 ought to keep these supplies in early and careful re- 

 membrance. Some fine large plants ought always to be 

 retained in the nursery, to supply such accidental fai- 

 lures as may happen in the infancy of hedges. Four or 

 five plants for every hundred in a hedge, will generally 

 be found enough for this use. As soon as the fall of 

 the leaf takes place, all young hedges ought to be in- 

 spected, and the supplemental plants being taken up 

 with extraordinary care to save their roots as much as 

 possible, are to be planted in the vacancies. Where the 

 place of one plant only is vacant, an opening is to be 

 made for the reception of the new one, with a grubbing 

 hoe or narrow spade, and as this opening cannot be 

 much extended in the direction of the hedge, it must, 

 therefore, be opened the farther across, so as to take 

 in a good proportion of the roots of the new plant with 

 ease, the extreme fibres thereof having been pruned a 

 little to prevent any occasion for doubling them, a thing 

 which is generally inimical to the free growth of any 

 plant whatever. The opening is then to be correctly 

 filled up on both sides with the best mould at hand, and 

 the plant fastened well in its place by the foot of the 

 planter, scattering a little loose earth over the spot af- 

 terwards. Early next spring, the hedge ought again to 

 be examined, and if any dead plant has been passed 

 over unperceived, or if any fresh accident has happen- 

 ed, such are to be supplied accordingly. At the end of 

 the first and second years, or after the fall of the leaf, 



