36 THE MANSE GARDEN. 



the blank larger than before. If any part has failed 

 to a greater extent, fill it up with a well grown plant 

 of a different species ; for it is remarkable that a thorn 

 will not grow in a soil already occupied and exhausted 

 by thorn roots ; but a common or sweet brier, a bar- 

 berry, a crab, or wild plum, or a well grown holly, 

 will fully answer the intention. Should it however 

 appear, that from the bad thriving of your hedge in 

 general, such remedies will not be effectual, it may be 

 expedient, on removing the paling, to add one row 

 of stones by way of a cope, so as to raise your wall 

 about six inches higher than the roots of your thorns, 

 and thus make sure of tightness, as the difficulty is 

 experienced only at the very surface of the ground. 

 But it may sometimes happen that a snow storm 

 will level a pathway over the very top of your defence, 

 and yet leave your trees in some places uncovered, 

 and exposed to the enemy. A quantity of soot, with 

 twice as much cow's dung, reduced with water to the 

 consistence of paint, and laid on with a soft brush, 

 will prevent the hares from touching the bark, and 

 serve for the whole season, without causing any injury 

 to the tree. In too great proportion the soot is un- 

 safe ; and care should be taken not to hurt the flower 

 buds ; but withall, the remedy is by no means tedious 

 in its application, and is perfectly efficacious in pre- 

 venting a devastation which many years will not re- 

 pair. All these little matters, I am aware, will be 

 judged worthy of notice by every one who has expe- 

 rienced the peculiar provocation of the various garden 

 enemies their assaults being of a kind too trivial for 

 the exercise of resignation, and yet, by frustrating 

 the hope of your labour, making all your plans and 

 expenses mere foolishness. 



