32 On Hedging, 



while the wood is tender and succulent, than when ma- 

 ture and hardened afterwards. 



But, beauty and neatness being out of the question, 

 it is evident that the trimming of hedges does not con- 

 tribute to strengthen or enlarge the stems of the plants, 

 as some people suppose theoretically that it ought to do ; 

 thinking that by cutting off the top of a tree, the whole 

 quantity of nourishment conjectured to be taken in by 

 the roots alone, will be confined to that part which is left, 

 forcing it to increase, swell and grpw accordingly. The 

 truth is, that every leaf of a tree is an organ attracting 

 nourishment to the plant, not only by imbibing the 

 fluids of the atmosphere, but also by its perspiration 

 acting as a syphon to draw a continual current of new 

 supplies through every root. There is a harmony in all 

 the economy of nature, and the larger and more weighty 

 the top of a tree is, it is evident that it will require a 

 stronger stem to support it, and when the top is cut off^ 

 what occasion is there for the stem to become enlarg- 

 ed? 



MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS. 



Mankind are all disposed to take the shortest road 

 that leads to the object of their desires, though it is fre- 

 quently not the best ; and it may be expected that ma- 

 ny of those who have planted or intend to plant live 

 hedges iu this country, will be impatient to have them 

 in perfection as soon as possible, or perhaps sooner than 

 nature, assisted by all the efforts of art, has decreed 

 that they should be so gratified. For the purpose of 

 rendering half grovvn hedges fencible, many ingenious 



