On planting Hedge-row Timber. 93 



suffer much less from inclement seasons, than he whose farm 

 is destitute of other protection than what the common thorn 

 hedge affords. In some places, where stone is plentiful, it is 

 the practice to fence with low walls ; this is decidedly the 

 worst plan of all, at least for the purpose of shelter ; and 

 I should imagine that no farmer who has the well-doino- 

 of his crops and stock at heart, would countenance so absurd 

 a system : it is only better than no fence. In grazing farms, 

 the advantages of hedge-row planting are very apparent, the 

 trees affording fine shelter to cattle and sheep in stormy 

 weather ; and, in summer, contributing as much to their com- 

 fort, by shading them from the heat of the sun. We may 

 all have observed in gentlemen's parks, where cattle are 

 allowed to pasture, how anxiously they seek the shade of a 

 straggling tree, when the heat of the day is apparently too 

 powerful for them. It is well known that live stock thrive bet- 

 ter on a farm well sheltered by hedge-row trees, than on one 

 which has not that advantage. In that inclement time of the 

 year, the lambing season, shelter is extremely beneficial to the 

 sheep. I have enumerated some of the advantages of hedge- 

 row planting, but much more might be said in favour of it, 

 which the limits of this paper preclude me from doing. I 

 shall now notice the objections commonly urged against it. It 

 is said by some, that the roots of the trees impoverish the soil, 

 to a mischievous extent, near where they are planted ; but, if 

 a proper selection of trees be made, that objection would be 

 obviated in a great measure ; choosing those kinds whose roots 

 do not spread much, I would in all cases exclude the ash 

 from hedges, as the greatest robber of the soil. The beech, 

 too, should be kept out of hedge-rows, as I have observed 

 that nothing thrives under its shade. I shall, in another part 

 of this paper, mention the kinds best calculated, in my opi- 

 nion, for the purpose. The shade of the trees is likewise 

 complained of as injurious to the farmer; but, if those branches 

 that are inclined to overhang much be lopped off, there will 

 be but little force in that objection ; besides, the roots can 

 only, at most, encroach a little upon the headland, seldom so 

 productive as to make it an object of importance to the farmer. 

 At all events, I am firmly persuaded that the benefits the 

 farm would derive from the shelter, would amply make up for 

 the disadvantages attending it. In Staffordshire it is univer- 

 sally practised ; and, as I have said before, there can only be 

 one opinion of its beautiful effect as to scenery. Hedge-row 

 planting is much neglected in the northern parts of the king- 

 dom, and almost entirely in Scotland. There are large dis- 

 tricts there, and in the highest state of cultivation, too, where 



