A Diftourfe of Forcft-Trees. 47 



4. Whereas it is found by conftant experience , that plants 

 as big as ones thumb , fet in the pofture , and at the diftance 

 which we fpake of in the Horn-beam j that is, SiXmoi^i perpendicular, 

 and fingle, or at mod: not exceeding a double row, do prolper in- 

 finitely, and much out-ftrip the denfeft, and clofeft ranges of our 

 trifling -Se^i-, which make but wezk poots, and whofe roots do but 

 hinder each other, and for being couch'd in that pojiure on the 

 (ides of Banks and Fences (efpecially where the earth is not very 

 tenacious) are bared of the mould which fliould entertain them, 

 by that time the Rains and Storms of one Winter have paiTed over 

 them. In Holland, and Flanders (where they have the goodlieft 

 Hedges of this kind about the Connter-fcarps of their invincible 

 Fortifications, to the great fecurity of their Muskgtiers upon oc- 

 cafion) they plant them according to my defcription, and rai(e 

 Fences fo fpeedily, and fo impenetrable, that our be^ are not to 

 enter into the comparifon. 



6. Your Hedge being yet j/oung, fhould be con(ia.nt\y weeded, 

 though fome admit not of this work after Michaelmas, for Rea- 



fons that I approve not : It has been the practice o^ Herefordshire, in 

 the plantation of g^ickrfet-hedges, to plant a Crab-Jiocl^ at every 

 twenty foot diftance ^ and this they obferve fo Rcligioujly, as if 

 they had been under fome rigorous Statute requiring it : But by 

 this means they were provided in a ftiort time with all advantages 

 for the graffing of Fruit amongft them, which does highly recom- 

 penfe their induftry. 



7. Whenyour He<5?^e isnowaboutof fix years (kutnte, ptajlj it 

 about February or October 5 but this is the work of a very dex- 

 trous and skilful Husbandman , and for which our honeft Coun- 

 try-man M.Markam gives excellent direftions j only I approve 

 not fo well of his deep cutting, if it be poffible to bend it, ha- 

 ving fufFered in fome thing of that kind : It is almoft incredible to 

 what perfection fome have laid thcfe Hedges, by the rural way of 

 plajhing,better then by clipping-^ yet may both be ufed for ornament, 

 as where they are planted about our Garden-fences, and fields neer 

 the Manfion. In Scotland by tying the yonngfiwots with bands of 

 hay, they make thejiems grow fo very cloie together, as that it en- 

 clofeth Rabbets in Warrens inftead of pales. 



8. And now fince I did mention it, and that moft I find do 

 greatly afFedt the ordinary way of picking ( that this our Dif 

 courfe be in nothing deficient) we will in brief give it you much 

 after Geo. Markams defcription, becaufe it is the beft: and moft: 

 accurate. 



In a Ground which is more dry then met (for watry places it ab- 

 hors) plant your g^uick^ thus : Let the firft row of Sets be placed 

 matrench of about half a foot deep, even with the top of your 

 ditch, in fomewhat a (loping, or inclining pofture : Then having 

 rais'dyour/'^»4.n^er a foot upon them, plant another ron?, fo as 

 their tops may juft peep out over the middle of the j^aces of your 

 fir^ row ; Thcfe cover*d again to the height or thicknefs of the 

 other , place a third rank, oppofite to the firii, and then finifti 



your 



