Billingtori" 's Series of Facts, &>c. 417 



feet; which, multiplied by 3, for turf of 4 in. thick, will uncover 

 a breadth of 48 ft. 9 in. all along the line of fence, depriving 

 the trees, in many instances, of the only portion of the soil in 

 which they could vegetate. On dry light soils, the upper 

 part of the bank would be too dry for the upper row of furze 

 forming an effective hedge : cattle would have too easy access 

 to the bottom and sides of such fence, unless it.were protected ; 

 and, if the value of the brushwood used is taken into the^ 

 account, the expense might very nearly construct a more sub- 

 stantial fence altogether. We have frequently adopted the 

 form, but not the dimensions, of the Dean Forest bank-fence, 

 where we were forced to have the line of fence on ground 

 sloping to the interior of the plantation from such fence ; in 

 all other cases, we have found the ' ditch and faced, dike ' fence 

 the most economical, durable, and effective. The ditch Q\ ft. 

 wide at top, 3 ft. deep, 9 or 10 in. wide at bottom ; the turf 

 built to the same slope as the side of the ditch, and 3\ ft. high, 

 including a green turf at top, backed by the earth which 

 comes out of the ditch ; a row of whins sown on the top, inside 

 the turf, and some seeds sprinkled in the face of the dike in 

 course of building. A simple rail about 8 in. above the top 

 turf, projecting outwards, and without any offset exceeding 

 3 in. where the dike commences, will form an effective fence 

 against sheep ; and cattle cannot browse to any hurtful extent, 

 as the bottom of the ditch is too narrow to admit of their 

 turning their face to the dike. The turf taken off the top of 

 the ditch will build the faced dike, and the earth will afford 

 sufficient backing. On this ditch bank are seen the best and 

 most forward trees in the plantation, in place of having 48 ft. 

 inward of stunted plants. The expense, too, of such a fence 

 is a consideration : Is. 6d. will fence 6 yards of the dike and 

 ditch, and about another 6d, will cover the expense of railing, 

 where every thing is to purchase, estimating labourers' wages 

 at 2s. per day of 10 hours. (See JLncyc. of Gard., §6820.) 

 We are better pleased with the method adopted, as a dernier 

 ressort, by Mr. Billington, of planting ' wet land.' — " The 

 lines were laid down, as usual, at 4 ft. apart ; a good turf, 1 6 

 or 18 in. square, as thick as the soil would admit, laid with 

 the grass side downwards a few months before planting : the 

 two swards rot, and the sod becomes firmly fixed, so that they 

 can be planted with the greatest ease, without disturbing the 

 sod." This, however, by some modern writers, would be 

 termed " a Scotch shift," though not practised in that country. 

 Effectual draining we hold to be the first requisite in plant- 

 ing. Had this been properly attended to, and the surface of 

 the swampy soils in Dean Forest pared and burned, there 



