28 ^^ Hedging. 



row ought to be laid towards the hedge at the first 

 ploughing, and when the next becomes necessary, by 

 the growth of the weeds, the mould is to be turned out- 

 waids, being mindful then not to leave an open furrow 

 close along side of the hedge, but to reiurn the earth 

 therein, by a slight scratch of the plough; or by a hand 

 hoe, after the ploughing is finished. A siViail neat har- 

 row with handles to guide it by, will not only fill uj) rhis 

 last trench the most expeditiously, but also break the 

 clods, help to destroy the weeds, pulverize the soil, and 

 will in a very short period, run over a great extent of 

 hedging. The weeds among the stems of the plants, 

 are always, however, to be drawn out by the hand, after 

 the horse labour is accomplished. 



The hedge- course being well ploughed in the spring, 

 a harrow of the above description will, in a light easy 

 soil, free of stones, &:c. be the best instrument to weed 

 young hedges through the course of the summer. If 

 the nature of the soil will not easily yield to this, a cul- 

 tivator, which is a sort of flat shovel plough that runs 

 horizontally through the surface with an equal wing on 

 each side, and is used with a coulter, is most excellent 

 for the purpose of weeding young hedges. 



It will in some places be prudent, after every dress- 

 ing of the hedge- course, to open small water-ways across 

 it, to prevent the accumulation of the rain water, and 

 to throw it off piecemeal into the adjacent lands. This 

 is indispensibly necessary in hilly situations, where, in 

 the time of heavy or long continued rains, the muhitude 

 of rills would soon gather into a torrent, or being con- 



