FIELD FENCES. 85 



and laying is quite unnecessary : and landlords are Mind 

 to their own interests who do not employ a skilful 

 Ledger to manage the hedges on their estates. In the 

 case of old and neglected hedges, the only means of 

 renovation is by cutting and laying. Many hedges of 

 this kind are gappy, the original plants having died out. 

 The gaps should he carefully dug over, and all weeds 

 and decaying roots forked out; if practicable some fresh 

 soil should be put in, and some strong well-rooted 4 or 

 5 year old quicks planted and well guarded on both sides 

 to prevent injury by stock. Unless the work is carefully 

 done it seldom succeeds. Popular opinion avers that the 

 soil, having become exhausted of the constituents neces- 

 sary to the healthy growth of the plants, requires rest and 

 amelioration before a second growth can succeed. But 

 the failure may more frequently be traced to inattention in 

 cleaning and cutting at suitable seasons. In laying old 

 hedges we give the preference to dead stakes, in fact, in many 

 instances the old living stems have become too bulky for the 

 purpose. Part of the wood is entirely cut off ; in this case 

 the cut should be upwards, leaving a clean, smooth face ; 

 the layers are crippled near the root in order to enable 

 the hedger to place them horizontally. These when laid 

 should be notched in several places to encourage the 

 growth of fresh shoots. 



Well kept hedges are both useful and ornamental ; they 

 are a great source of comfort and security to the occupier. 



Gates. The usual five-barred field gate hanging 

 from upper and lower hinges on a post about 8 inches 

 by 6 inches in section, and latched on to a post at the 

 other end, about 6 inches square is generally about 9J 



