160 THE BOOK OF THE LANDED ESTATE. 



in any form. The plants are next inserted into a trench opened for their 

 reception, putting the plants in the trench about nine inches apart, and 

 planting two thorns for one beech. Good soil should be put next the 

 roots of the plants. I know of nothing better than road cleanings or 

 scrapings. The roots should be covered up carefully, and the plants 

 firmly fixed in their places. The cost of making such a fence as de- 

 scribed will stand as follows : 



Per yard. 



Labour, 2d. 



Cost of plants, Id. 



Total, 3d. 



This does not include the cost of the inside drain, as it is calculated that 

 such a drain, if required at all, should be done for the benefit of the 

 plantation or field in which it is made. The mode of planting hedges 

 already described is suitable for, and should only be done, where the 

 land is a stiff wet clay, or where the soil is naturally wet and no means 

 have been taken to drain it; and it is also suitable for the sides of 

 roads and plantations, where very often we find a stronger current of 

 water than can be enclosed in a pipe-drain. But where the soil is 

 naturally dry, or where it has been made so by thorough drainage, the 

 hedge should be planted on the level surface, as of course, the land being 

 dry, there is no need of an open ditch or drain, or of an embankment. 

 In all cases it is better to plant the hedge on the level surface, where 

 the state of the soil will admit of such being done. 



In planting a hedge on the level surface, the ground should be trenched 

 along the line where the plants are to be put, at least two feet deep and 

 four feet wide ; and in trenching it, all stones of any considerable size, and 

 all roots of weeds, should be carefully taken out, so as to make the soil 

 clean. After this is done, the line of fence should be levelled, of course 

 taking the inequalities of the ground into consideration. If a line is 

 stretched along the line of fence, it will show at once any small hollows 

 or heights, as the line will stretch above the hollows and press into the 

 heights. While the line is in this position, the soil immediately beneath 

 it, and to a few inches on each side, should be firmly pressed down by 

 the feet of the operators, by moving along the line sidewise, when the 

 site for the plants should be levelled with the spade, taking down the 

 heights to fill up the hollows, and filling in any holes made by the feet 

 in pressing ; and after the levelling, it should be beat with the back of 

 the spade, making it smooth and level, about six inches on each side of 

 the line. The next operation is to open out a trench for the plants on 

 the one side of the line and along its whole length, and deep enough to 



