FENCES. 



be cut over about half their length, of generally 

 about fix inches above the ground mark. This 

 may be performed by the hedge-fhears ; but a 

 better method is, to gather a handful evenly, lay 

 them on a block, and chop them through with a 

 (harp hatchet, which makes a cleaner cut than the 

 ihears. It is of importance to make the wounds, 

 on the young thorti plants, as clean as poflible. 

 For this reafon, fome are at the trouble of cutting 

 the young plants individually with a fharp knife ; 

 and it mufl be allowed, that this, although the 

 mod tedious, is certainly the bed method of cut- 

 ting over thorn plants, to prepare them for being 

 laid in the ditches. 



After the obfervations already made under the 

 head Nursery, and confidering thofe to be made, re- 

 fpecting lifting plants from the nurfery ; we need 

 hardly here direct, that every the fmalleft fibre of 

 th roots mould be preferved in the lifting of the 

 thorn fets ; and that the roots fliould b,e as little 

 expofed to the air as poflible. 



METHOD OF DITCHING. 



Having fixed upon the direction of the ditch, 

 the fide next to the plantation, or field to be fenced, 

 is to be rutted oft' by the hand- line. The oper- 

 ator rnuft (land with his face outwards, and hold 

 the fpade ir\ fuch a direction as to form the Hope 



