58 The Wild Garden 



galvanized or iron fence, with its dangers, ugliness, 

 and coldness ! 



By far the best fence for farm and general work 

 is the living fence — the most satisfactory and least 

 expensive in the long run, and the most beautiful in 

 its effect upon the landscape and for its varied life. 

 I mean the living fence that is not too trim, and annual 

 trimming is not necessary. Small, ' skinny ' Quick 

 fences are not so handsome as rough ones. The con- 

 stant clipping of fences is needless in many grazing 

 and woody districts. In good arable farms it may 

 be desirable, but in most districts where fields are 

 large the fence should also be a shelter — a bold, 

 free-growing screen, with Bramble, wild Rose, Ferns, 

 Ivy, and other scrambling things that like to live in 

 it. I have many such fences that do not want attention 

 for years at a time — on banks, as they always should 

 be. They are better furnished at the bottom than 

 some of the constantly clipped hedges. To plant on 

 a bank may in some very dry soils, and where there 

 is a low rainfall, be a mistake, but the bank itself 

 doubles at least the depth of the soil, and the pro- 

 tection of the bank and its little dick is a great gain 

 to fencing, by allowing Briers and wild Roses to fill 

 in the bottom of the hedge, and preventing small 

 animals from making tracks through. My fences 

 round woods are only re-made when the underwood 

 is cut, say every ten years, and that is sufficient. The 

 mass of wood behind and the strong growth in the 



