54 On Hedging 



them in their place. The hedge being annually trim- 

 med as usual, in two years the rails will be found enclo- 

 sed in the very center of it, so that any animal of a large 

 size that may attempt to push its way through, will find 

 it impracticable to divide the hedge. 



METHODS FOR EXCLUDING HOGS. 



When the old protective fence seems to be on the de- 

 cline, while the hedge has not yet attained sufficient 

 strength or closeness to keep out pigs or hogs, that are 

 permitted to go at large without yokes, the hedge may be 

 strengtherued to resist them by driving a short stake 

 about two feet long in the vacancy betwixt each two of 

 the plants; if these stakes are sufficiently durable to con- 

 tinue firm for two or three years, the hedge will probably 

 at that period, be strong enough itself to keep hogs out. 



Another method to effect this purpose, may be com- 

 menced when the hedge has completed its second year, 

 or when the stems of the plants nearest the ground, 

 have attained the size of a persons thumb, then just be- 

 fore the bud begins to open in the spring, let the whole 

 hedge be cut off by a saw, to within an inch and a half of 

 the surface ; the cultivation being ,continued as usual, 

 the shoots that will arise from these stubbs will run up 

 to four, five, or six feet the first season, and will be so 

 numerous and full of thorns, that the hedge will in a 

 few years be completely closed at the bottom ; the trim- 

 ming being annually attended to as before directed 

 under that article. But it is to be observed that these 

 strong shoots are at first easily disjointed from the 

 stocks, and therefore cattle of every description must 



