FIELD FENCES. 73 



separate sods, each eight inches wide. The excavation 

 should gradually slope from the outside towards the base 

 of the mound, and a portion of the upper soil should he 

 reserved to dress the excavation, which should he sown 

 with grass seeds, soon forming a sound sward. In some 

 counties, as in Cheshire, the mound is seldom raised 

 more than three feet, and a thorn or other live fence is 

 planted on the top. The chief recommendation to the 

 system there is that to some extent it protects the young 

 plants from the attacks of cattle. In high and exposed 

 districts turf hanks are also useful as affording shelter to 

 the stock. In such localities, whin or gorse seed is some- 

 times sown on the top of the hank ; and this when carefully 

 used and tended is useful for a time. But this plant is 

 too short-lived to he of much practical value. Fences of 

 this kind require a close supervision, in order to repair any 

 breaches as soon as they occur ; as, if neglected, they soon 

 become ruinous. Such fences are only suited to high and 

 exposed situations, and where the land is of little value. 



Stone Walls are common on hill pastures, wherever the 

 formation yields a stone easily quarried and of a durable 

 character. The till or drift formation, particularly 

 amongst the sheep-walks of the north, is full of boulder- 

 stones of various sizes, which are frequently utilised 

 for this purpose. Granite boulders can be cloven by a 

 skilful hand as easily as billets of wood. In stone wall 

 countries the requirements of the district have educated a 

 race of skilled labourers, superior to the ordinary farm 

 workmen. When executed by a skilful hand, a wall of 

 this kind is a permanent structure. The best hands work 

 to a line in the same way as a bricklayer ; the stones are 



