138 AGRICULTURAL SURVEY OF 



stones, is placed close behind the new planted 

 hedge. '1 he last is by far the preferable me- 

 thod. This stone-coping is usually about two 

 and a half, or three feet high, covered and se- 

 cured at the top with a course of pretty large 

 stones set edge ways, and projecting a little. 

 This dike is built close behind the hedge, upon 

 the earth thrown from the ditch ; and, in order 

 to prevent it from swaying or falling down, the 

 earth ought to be levelled and made equally so- 

 lid and firm. 



In raising thorn hedges, the quickness of their 

 growth, and the future perfection of the fence, 

 depend very much upon adapting the mode of 

 planting them to the nature of the soil. Where 

 the ground is wet, and a ditch necessary, not 

 only to form a part of the fence, but also to- as- 

 sist as a drain to carry off superfluous water, 

 laying the thorns some inches above the surface 

 of the ground, in the manner just now mention- 

 ed, seems to be proper and necessary \ because,, 

 if planted in or below the surface, the too great 

 quantity of moisture would check their growth, 

 and perhaps destroy them altogether. But if the 

 ground be very dry, and the soil light and gra- 

 velly, planting them below the surface seems e- 

 qually necessary to secure them a sufficiency of 

 moisture for promoting their growth. 



In this case, let a ditch be made and coping 

 built, as above described, only the coping next 

 the ditch. Along the inner side of the dike, 

 let the ground be dressed with a spade, and le- 

 vel with the surface, to the breadth of two feet 

 from the coping ; and if a li;tle dung can be 

 spared to it, so much the better. Then let the 



