Ditches, Lanes, Copses, and Hedgerows 59 



fence itself are such that no animal makes an attempt 

 on them. The only source of weakness in such places 

 is hedge trees, and they should be removed. 



A hedge can be kept in good order for generations 

 by cutting and laying it every ten or dozen years, 

 and the owner of such a fence deserves to suffer if 

 he does not take care that this is done when the time 

 comes round. The labour for it is enormously less 

 than the cost of forming and tarring the iron fence 

 and keeping it in repair. 



Bushes to use and avoid in Fences. 



To use bad fencing plants is folly, the money is 

 thrown away, and the work never done. I have planted 

 some thousands of Quick this season, in lines 3 feet 

 apart, for the sake of getting strong bushes to make 

 fences, and some Cockspur Thorn, of which I saw 

 an excellent fence in France in 1892. I am not so sure 

 about the Cherry Plum, which grows well in some 

 places, but is not so tough as a Thorn, and in some 

 cold soils, where the Quick is all we want, the Cherry 

 Plum will not thrive. A few Sloe bushes may be 

 used, but they are not so tough as Quick. A few 

 seedling common Hollies not over 3 feet high are 

 good, and, where there are not many rabbits to bark 

 it, nothing is more successful than Holly. Hollies 

 grow under trees better than any other lence plant. 

 From the protection they give to stock, it is surprising 

 that they are not more largely grown for shelter in 



