796 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK ix. 



1. The WHITE-THORN, or HAWTHORN, or QUICK (Cratsegus oxy- 

 acantha, nat. ord. Rosacese), which grows very rapidly, is durable, will 

 flourish in almost any situation, excepting on very thin soils, and is, 

 perhaps, better adapted, in every respect, for the formation of a compact 

 and serviceable fence than any of the other plants commonly employed. 

 The thorns should be raised in a nursery, and transplanted, when a 

 year old, into some open piece of ground where the soil and space 

 admit of the free development of the roots and branches ; a poor soil 

 should be chosen. Here they may be kept from one to two, or even 

 three years, before being set in the hedges ; and then they will fully 

 repay the care that has been bestowed upon them. The different 

 varieties of the hawthorn are very interesting on account of their 

 ornamental appearance, especially when laden with their fragrant white 

 or pink " May " blossoms, or their brightly-coloured fruit, the " stony 

 haws." 



2. The BLACK-THORN, or SLOE (Prunus spinosa, nat. ord. Rosacese), 

 should be placed next, so far at least as strength and hardihood are 

 concerned, but it is difficult to keep this shrub within proper bounds. 

 Its growth is less certain than that of the white-thorn, but its bushes, 

 being compact, are superior for mending dead hedges, and are less 

 liable to be cropped by cattle. 



3. The HOLLY (Ilex Aquifolium, nat. ord. Aquifoliacea?), though 

 slow and less certain in growth, forms a hedge which, by its thickness 

 and strength, and the excellent shelter it affords, compensates for the 

 delay and expense involved. The holly constitutes a beautiful feature 

 in the winter scener_y of many parts of England. Its dead leaves, 

 however, are rather troublesome when they fall among the grass. 



The best mode of making hedges with holly is, first, to mark out the 

 line of ground, and prepare it by ploughing or digging ; the young 

 plants, having been carefully lifted, so as not to hurt or injure their 

 roots, are then placed in the ground, four or five quick Or white thorns 

 being planted to one holly. As the hollies increase in size, the thorns 

 may be pulled up, and when the former have attained their full growth 

 they will occupy the whole space, and form a most durable fence. 

 Should any intervals occur, the} 7 may be easily filled up, by bending 

 down the lower branches ("layering "), and covering them with earth. 

 In the following year these will take root, and shoot forth so as to 

 present an impenetrable barrier. 



White-thorns do not flourish on some thin and gravelly soils ; and 

 there is often a considerable failure of them in an ill-constructed 

 hedge. Where the centre of the bank has, not been sufficiently 

 manured or prepared, or where the thorns are planted so much on its 

 slope as to receive little benefit from the rain which runs down the 

 bank into the ditch, failure generally results. In the first construc- 

 tion of the hedge, a flat bed, 3 feet broad and well manured, should be 

 left on the top, and in the middle of this the quicks are planted. 



