SITUATION, SOIL, CHAP. 



of the hedge, I entirely disapprove of great numbers of 

 plants employed for this purpose. If the plants stand too 

 close to each other, they never can be strong : they never 

 get stout stems : the hedge is weak at bottom ; and the 

 hedge can never be what it would be if fewer and 

 stronger plants were put in. The time of planting is any 

 where between September and April. The plants, when 

 taken up, should have all the fibres taken from their roots 

 with a sharp knife, and their main roots shortened to the 

 length of about six inches j then they should be planted 

 with great care, the earth put in very finely about the 

 roots, and, every plant fastened well in the ground by the 

 foot. The earth should be then made smooth after the 

 treading, and the plants immediately cut down to within 

 a foot of the ground. The distance that the plants 

 ^hould stand from each other ought to be about fifteen 

 inches, and the row of plants ought to stand at about a 

 foot from the edge of the bank. The plants should be 

 kept perfectly clear from weeds all the summer, which is 

 very easily effected by two or three hoeings. If plants 

 be plentiful, and you desire to have an extraordinarily 

 thick hedge, put in two rows of plants, one row eighteen 

 inches from the other, and the plants of one row placed 

 opposite the middle of the intervals in the other row. The 

 plants will make long and strong shoots the first sum- 

 mer. The next spring cut them down to within an inch 

 of the ground. Go over them in June, when they will 

 have made considerable shoots, and cut off all the shoots 

 close, to the stem, except the two strongest of each plant. 

 Let them go on through another year, and these two 

 shoots will then be about five feet high. Then, in winter, 

 take one of the shoots of each plant, and plash it close to 



