678 Fence for Plantations, and 



provoking, to have arguments in favour of design met merely 

 by the declaration, " I hate formality." Every person of taste 

 hates formality, in the vulgar acceptation of the term ; but I 

 would impress on the minds of the class of objectors referred 

 to, the fact, that there is a very broad distinction between 

 such formality, and the harmonious effect of an entire pleasure- 

 ground, comprising infinitely varied details, produced by 

 attention to the laws you have so effectively enforced in the 

 article referred to. By the way, I would strongly recommend 

 that article to the attention of Mr. Errington, who has given 

 a plan for a flower-garden in the last Number, p. 564>. But 

 I am wandering from the object of this communication, 

 namely, the plantation fence, which I have, after many 

 unsatisfactory attempts, effected to my mind. There must be 

 a fence, but it ought not to be seen : furthermore, the margin 

 of the plantation should not terminate abruptly with high trees; 

 but the line should be broken by trees and shrubs, gradually 

 decreasing in elevation, until the last in the series mingles 

 with the grass. This has been the desideratum with me, and 

 I have thus accomplished it: — Sow furze seed early in the 

 spring, on stony or gravelly banks, on which there is a little 

 good mould, as the plants are thereby provided with much 

 more fibrous root than when the seed is sown on stiff clay 

 soils ; keep the plants clean, and transplant them in Novem- 

 ber, or early in February, to the front of the plantations. 

 Fence them with a post and two-rail fence, which will keep 

 off cattle (the occasional bite of sheep or lambs will rather do 

 good than harm), and keep them hoed. In the following 

 spring, clip off with shears the principal part of the first 

 ■ year's shoots. The plants will make very luxuriant shoots 

 during the next two years, after which the posts and rails are 

 to be removed; the branches of the furze must then be 

 collected in the hand, and drawn forward towards the field, 

 while the posts and rails are again put up on the plantation 

 side of the furze, about a foot or eighteen inches within the 

 stems of the plants ; and, as each rail is fixed, the branches 

 of furze are disengaged, and fall back against the fence; so 

 that, at a moderate distance, it is no longer seen. When the 

 furze thus becomes thus laid open, the tender parts of all the 

 young shoots are browsed by cattle and sheep, which makes 

 it grow so thick and close, that, by the time the posts and 

 rails decay, it is a perfect fence to the plantation. Different 

 forms may be introduced, occasionally, to vary the effect, 

 which I can assure you is extremely beautiful, especially 

 when the furze is in bloom. It forms a pleasing natural 

 drapery, and always reminds me of Burns's line, " The lawns 



