964 



PRACTICE OF GARDENING. 



Part III. 



at one end, and bend down as close as possible the remaining pliable branches, crossing 

 them in the manner of basket-work. Such as are too strong to be bent, may be cut 

 half through with the bill, which will render them pliable enough to be used ; and 

 such as are not required for any of the above-mentioned purposes, must be cut off close 

 to the ground. After the plashing is finished, the hedge should be dressed smooth on 

 both sides by the switching-bill or shears. There is another method of plashing, 

 which has been suggested as an improvement upon the foregoing ; and that is, by not 

 cutting any of the stems over as stakes, but weaving in the tops along with the other 

 branches. This method will not have so immediate a tendency to bare the lower parts 

 of the hedge by the growth of the top, as when any of the plants are cut over for stakes ; 

 but still, at the bendings, the growth will rush out with vigor ; besides this plan is at- 

 tended with more labor. Indeed, the best security against baring the bottom of a 

 plashed hedge, is by cutting over by the surface as many of the plants as can be at all 

 spared ; and the shoots arising from these will soon thicken the hedge at bottom. 

 Plashing can only be effectually and handsomely performed, when there is a good por- 

 tion of long, pliable, and well feathered branches, and where the hedge has, if not youth, 

 at least vi^or, on its side. After the plashing is completed, the ditch is to be scoured 

 out, and the bottom of the hedge cleaned and dressed up, in the same neat manner as 

 if all were new work. 



6919. Cutting over old hedges is a much less expensive method of reclaiming or renewing, than any of 

 the above ; and, perhaps, in most cases, may be a more eligible one ; saving when an immediate fence is 

 the object. In cutting down an old hedge, there is certainly a very fit opportunity of laying the found- 

 ation of a complete and durable fence. The nature of the cutting must be regulated by circumstances, ac- 

 cording to the age, the strength, or the closeness of the hedge, and whether it have been planted in single 

 or double rows. If the hedge in question be pretty vigorous and branching towards the bottom, and if the 

 stems stand regularly and closely together, it may be brought into due subjection, without being cut down 

 to the ground. In this case, the sides are first to be switched up with the hook, not altogether close to the 

 stems, but within about a foot of them on each side at bottom, tapering up close at top, which should be 

 four or five feet high, according to the general height of the hedge : but if the hedge be thin at bottom, it 

 will be advisable to cut more in, in order to make it bushy from the ground upwards. If the hedge is not 

 regularly close from end to end, but ragged, and full of gaps, the best method is to cut it over, within 

 eight or ten inches of the ground, and to fill up the gaps with stout well rooted plants of the same kind ; 

 or the gaps may be mended by the following method : Let one of the stoutest thorn-plants next to the 

 gap be reserved uncut, and the space be digged over, or it may require to be filled up with rich earth to 

 within three inches of the height of the top of the ditch. Then having cleaned the thorn-plant of all side 

 branches or twigs, cut it half through at the height of the earth in the gap, on the side farthest from it, and 

 lay it down upon the earth, securing the most distant end from rising up by a hooked pin ; then cover it 

 all over with rich earth, so as to make it the general height of the top of the ditch : and the thorn-plant so 

 laid down and covered, will take root, and send up a profusion of shoots over its whole length. If one plant 

 will not reach the whole extent of the gap, one at each side probably will. The surface of the bank should 

 be pointed up, and the ditch scoured as above directed in plashing. 



6920. In other cases, when the hedge is getting thin below or too tall, and when the stems are placed 

 regularly within eight or ten inches of one another, and where it is necessary to retain a fence and at the 

 same time to cut so as to have a supply of young shoots from the bottom, the plan to be followed is to 

 cut alternately the one part to within eight or ten inches of the bottom, and the other at four feet high, 

 dressing the bank and scouring the ditch, as directed above. In cases where two rows of quicks have 

 been planted, the front one is to be cut bv the surface, and the other at four or five feet high, as circum- 

 stances may require. 



6921. Neglected hedge-row timber may be improved by pruning according to its age. 

 Blakey recommends what he calls foreshortening, or cutting in, as the best method 



This operation is performed by shortening 



both for young and old hedge-row timber, 

 the over-luxuriant side branches 

 (Jig. 661. a), but not to cut them 

 to a stump, as in snag pruning ; 

 on the contrary, the top only of 

 the branch should be cut off, and 

 the amputation effected imme- 

 diately above where an auxiliary 

 side shoot springs from the branch -a, 

 on which the operation is to be 

 performed (b) ; this may be at the 

 distance of two, four, or any other 

 number of feet from the stem of 

 the tree ; and suppose the auxi- -tjjjjeL 

 liary branch which is left (when -" / 'W/ft 



the top of the branch is cut off') is also over-luxuriant, or looks unsightly, it should also 

 be shortened at its sub-auxiliary branch, in the same manner as before described. The 

 branches of trees pruned in this manner are always kept within due bounds ; they do not 

 extend over the adjoining land to the injury of the occupier, at least, not until the stem 

 of the tree rises to a height out of the reach of pruning, when the top branches can do 

 comparatively little injury to the land. By adopting this system of pruning, the bad 

 effects of close pruning on old trees, and snag pruning on young ones, will be avoided 

 the country will be ornamented ; and the community at large, as well as individuals! 

 benefited. 



