56 The Wild Garden 



do better, while it always looks well with its Ivy, Ferns, 

 Primroses, and varied life. The bad opinion of the 

 old-fashioned fence arose from its being so often 

 neglected, and injured by trees until no longer 

 effective. 



It is not only the tradesman emerging from the 

 city who fancies there is no fence so perfect as an 

 iron one. Such an idea would be excusable in 

 mechanics, and many others who have not studied 

 the question of fences from the point of safety, en- 

 durance, and beauty, and who fear the expense and 

 trouble of forming a living fence. But I regret to see 

 the plague of iron fencing in some of the finest country 

 places and marring the foreground of good views. 



No Fence so good as a live one on a bank. 



One objection to the live fence is its weakness at 

 first, and the need of protecting it when small, but 

 these difficulties are not insurmountable. It is usual to 

 plant Quick small, and then protect it with elaborate 

 fencing on either side — wearisome work, for which 

 there is no need if people would take the trouble 

 to get plants strong enough to form a good fence 

 to begin with. With stout Quick, and a mixture of 

 Holly, or other strong bushes, a good fence can be 

 made at once without protection being needed. In 

 every country place it would be easy to have a few 

 lines of young and vigorous Quick put out in fields 

 in lines a yard or so apart, where they might get 



