Ditches, Lanes, Copses, and Hedgerows 57 



stout, and be ready for fencing at any time. Where 

 there are underwoods with Quick growing in them, 

 it is often easy to grub up bushes of it, cut them down 

 half way, and plant them in a fence, always on a bank. 



I have done this with success and without losing 

 a bush, but should prefer to have a few lines of stout 

 grown Quick ready to take up at any time. Most 

 fences should be on banks with 'dicks' where the 

 ground requires them, because the bank itself forms 

 a fence against lambs and small animals, and the 

 added soil that goes to make the bank gives much 

 better growth. Three years ago I formed a fence 

 of this sort, every bush of which was gathered in 

 the underwood near ; the line of Quick was so strong 

 that there was no need to fence them. To prevent, 

 however, any chance of cattle rushing through, a thin 

 Larch pole was run through along and just below 

 the top of the fence, supported by the bushes, and 

 no animal has since passed the fence or injured it. 

 The waste slender tops of Larch lying in a wood 

 near were used. This fence will be good for as many 

 years as it is wanted, will form a shelter as well as 

 a fence, and will not want any attention for many years 

 to come. It should be clearly understood that in the 

 formation of this fence we had not even the cost of 

 the ordinary ' stake and heather ' protection commonly 

 used in re-making rough fences. The tough bushes 

 did it all themselves, the sod bank helping them in 

 all ways. Consider this as compared with the costly 



