798 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK ix. 



earth as before, care being taken to place each plant in this upper row 

 against the intervening spaces of the plants in the lower row. This 

 row will, therefore, contain as many plants as the other ; and both of 

 of them together about 528 plants in a chain of 22 } r ards in length. 

 Then finish off the inclination of the sides, with a small flat or hollow 

 on the top above the upper row ; and so proceed until the whole is 

 finished. The sooner the plants are thus deposited in their new 

 situations, after removal from the seed-beds or nursery-beds, the 

 better ; but especially be careful to put them in speedily after cutting 

 and trimming, before the sap dries up ; and no time should be lost in 

 laying them in their places, whilst the natural moisture continues 

 in the soil from the trenches, both for bedding and covering them." 



The hollow or basin form of disposing the ground for planting the 

 sets is an important consideration on dry soils, although in many 

 instances not observed. If the weather should prove dry, it serves as 

 a reservoir for collecting every particle of moisture that falls in the 

 space between its extreme edges. This goes to supply the roots of the 

 plants that are just above it, and that will soon strike down towards it. 

 The weeds, which will naturally push forward, must be kept under by 

 hand-hoeing and weeding, both above and below the rows of plants, 

 as well as between them. The operations of hoeing arid weeding are 

 performed four times every summer. Early in the spring, before the 

 hay-harvest, and before and after the corn-harvest, are the usual 

 seasons of performing these operations. 



All this trouble and expense would be of little use, if no care were 

 afterwards taken to preserve the young hedges from the injuries arising 

 from the bite and tread of animals. It is customary, therefore, to have 

 rough posts and rails on each side of the bank, which form a secure 

 fence against large cattle ; these posts being placed at such a distance 

 from the hedge on each side, that the cattle cannot reach over to crop 

 the plants. 



Where any plants have accidentally failed, they should be replaced 

 on the first spring-hoeing by fresh sets. In two years, or three at most, 

 where this care has been taken, and the soil is not too poor, the plants 

 will have gained sufficient strength to permit of their being cut down 

 to about 7 or 8 inches high, which will cause them to throw out 

 numerous strong and thick shoots ; so that, in two or three years more 

 they will constitute a fence sufficiently strong for confining sheep in 

 the field, though it may be several years before the fence would be 

 considered safe against cattle. The richness of the soil, and the atten- 

 tion paid to the hedge, alike influence the growth of the latter. Before 

 this time the posts will have begun to decay at the base, and will need 

 to be occasionally repaired and guarded ; but ordinary attention will 

 always obviate any serious injury. 



The management of a quickset hedge requires both skill and attention. 

 During its first season it must be kept scrupulously clean, great care being 

 required to check the growth of weeds, which prevent the formation of 

 lateral branches. If the growth is strong a few of the straggling side 

 branches may be cut off in the second year, but this is not of much im- 



