Chap. VI. THE COUNTY OP PIPE. 14! 



than compensated by the consequent thickness 

 and strength of the fence. 



The hedges, inclosing gentlemen's pleasure- 

 grounds, and other fields in their own posses- 

 sion, are regularly dressed and kept in good or- 

 der. But this attention is not general. In ma- 

 ny instances it is the practice, with a view to 

 save expences, to allow the thorns to run up un- 

 pruned for many years ; and then, to save the 

 hedge from ruin, to cut it over a little above the 

 ground ; and the tops are employed to form a 

 temporary fence somewhere else, or placed as a 

 dead hedge behind new planted thorns, to save 

 the expence of a stone.-coping. And this plan, 

 when executed regularly and judiciously, does 

 not seem liable to much objection, especially in 

 cases where pasture forms a part of the farmer's 

 course. When the matter is so regulated that 

 the hedge shall be in its unpruned state, when 

 the land is in grass, and cut, when the land is in 

 tillage, this double advantage is gained : the cat- 

 tle, when feeding, are completely sheltered ; and 

 the growing corns not liable to be injured by 

 yermin, or by the want of air. 



GATES. 



THE gates, in general, which are to be found 

 on the farms in this county, possess few quali- 

 ties that can recommend them to notice. Most 

 of them are formed of indifferent materials, and 

 coarsely put together. Some of them consist of 

 a frame, made with the bars either horizontal. 

 or upright, hanging between two upright posts, 



