On forming Live Fences with Larcli. 59 



the means of increasing the trunk of trees ; witness the numer- 

 ous instances which we see of the whole of the branches beino- 

 cut off to nearly the top of the tree, or else the trees suffered 

 to grow so close that they can make but few side branches. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c. 

 Mue Wood, near ShreXiishury, W. Billington. 



Oct. 20. 1832. 



We have left out the remainder of this long communication 

 (at least, for the pi-esent), as not being essential to the object 

 which the author appears to have in view. — Cond, 



Art. XIV. On forming Live Fences mth Larch Trees. 

 By Mr. Gorrie, F.H.S. &c. 



Sir, 

 In the spring of 1831 I had occasion to enclose a four-acre 

 park, of high, dry, and rather poor land. Economy and 

 immediate protection being objects of consideration, I had 

 a 4'-ft. ditch cast, at the rate of 6d. per fall of six ells (we 

 still generally keep by the 37-inch ell in Scotland) ; and 

 having some plantations of larches, of nine years' standing, 

 on an adjacent eminence, which required thinning, it occurred 

 to me that it might be possible to construct of them a live 

 fence, that would have immediate effect; and, with this view, 

 I employed two men to take them up carefully, as marked out 

 for thinning, about the beginning of March. I employed two 

 other men in planting them among the earth thrown out of 

 the ditch ; myself holding the tree, and giving it the intended 

 position. It occurred to me that wind-waving was one prin- 

 cipal preventive of the growth of larches transplanted at that 

 age, which would be avoided by laying the trees in a slanting 

 direction; besides, fewer trees would form an efficient fence, 

 than if standing perpendicular. The trees were from 10 to 

 12 ft. long, and were laid at about an angle of 30° with the 

 horizon, the tops inclining a little over the ditch to the inte- 

 rior of the park, whence the danger, from cattle attempting 

 to break through, was to be apprehended ; the surface of 

 the ditch bank being about from 20 in. to 2 ft. above the 

 ordinary level of the ground, and the upper part of the rooto 

 about 3 in. below that surface when the earth was dressed off. 

 The plants were well feathered to the bottom, with side- 

 branches, which were all allowed to remain on the trees; and 

 at the surface the roots were from 30 to 36 in. distant, but 



