INCLOSING OF GROUND. 15 



fence ? The reason, as proved from experience, is 

 this : — 



During the first eight or ten years of the age of 

 any young plantation, the boundary fence is the 

 only shelter that the young trees have ; and it is 

 evident, that those trees which grow immediately 

 beliind the fence will receive most of the benefit of 

 its shelter ; consequently, from the circumstance of 

 their receiving more shelter than their neighbours 

 further ofi", they must grow more rapidly, until 

 such time as their tops begin to rise above the level 

 of the fence, when they are considerably checked 

 by the cold winds. At this stage, they begin to 

 grow thick and bushy, rather than advance in 

 height, and, immediately upon their becoming so, 

 they begin to shelter all their neighbours inside, 

 which, again, begin to have double the advantage 

 of their neighbours outside ; for the trees upon the 

 outside had shelter only so long as they were below 

 the level of the top of the fence, whereas those in- 

 side have now a shelter which every year increases 

 upon them for their advantage, in height as well as 

 in tliickness. All this comes in to prove that a 

 fence is a great mean of furthering the healthy de- 

 velopment of a young plantation, independent of its 

 protecting from the inroads of cattle at the same 

 time. I always calculate, that a plantation with a 

 good fence is ten years in advance of one without 

 such protection. 



