cbaf. VI. THE COUNTY OF FiFE. 139 



thorns be planted ten or twelve inches from the 

 wall, and at the distance of five or six inches 

 from each other, sloping along the Hue of the 

 hedge, and forming an angle of 45 with the 

 surface of the ground. This mode of planting 

 is performed with great expedition. One man 

 opens the ground with a spade edge-wise along 

 the line, and another lays the sets in the open- 

 ing, at the proper distance, and in the proper 

 position. Sloping the plants in this manner is 

 very material, as it contributes much to the 

 thickness of the hedge at the bottom. In the 

 part of the plant which stands above ground, 

 there are usually several eyes, from which the 

 young shoots spring. These sJioots will rise per- 

 pendicular, by which means the whole space 

 will be filled with a great number of stems pa*- 

 rallel to one another and at proper distances, 

 which will push out lateral branches, and, cor>- 

 sequently, if thriving and properly taken care of, 

 will form a close strong hedge in a very few 

 years. This method I myself have seen prac- 

 tised repeatedly, and with complete success, with 

 this only difference, that the earth thrown from 

 the ditch was faced and covered at the top with 

 the green turf, to supply the place of a stone- 

 coping. 



Besides the different kinds of fences just now 

 mentioned, there are some others, , though less 

 in use, to be found in the county. The double, 

 ditch and hedge, with a row of trees planted in 

 the middle, has been tried, but does not seem to 

 meet with general approbation. I should ima- 

 gine, however, that a very strong and durable 

 fence might be constructed in this manner ; and 



