148 ON RAISING AND MANAGING HEDGES. 
quality, where with little or no protection it almost forms a 
fence at once. The most desirable feature in those large 
plants is breadth or spread of branches close to the surface of 
the ground, which necessitates ample space in the nursery lines, 
and removal of the top shoots or excess of upward growth. 
Where fences of this description are required on a large scale, 
it is recommended that the nursing of the plants should be 
adjacent to the site of the proposed fences. The preparation 
of the ground for the plants should be similar to that for 
hawthorn, but as a greater depth of trench is required for 
their roots, the surface herbage of the trenched ground should 
be placed at a depth not to be disturbed by inserting the 
large plants into the line of hedge, unless it has had a suffi- 
cient time to decompose before planting. Along with well- 
decomposed manure lime is found to be of great advantage in 
the growth of beech. The hedge may be formed any time 
in open weather between October and April. If the situation 
is much exposed to the severity of the weather, planting in 
March or the opening up of the season is preferable to earlier 
planting, which would subject the fence to be disturbed by 
the winds for months before it would begin to take root or 
establish itself in the ground. Such plants should be inserted 
as close as their branches will allow them to stand, which is 
generally a foot apart; when planted it is only necessary to 
prune off the more straggling side branches and the more 
aspiring tops with the pruning-knife, and dress into shape 
with the switcher after the first year’s growth. 
The Hornbeam (Carpinus Betulus)—This plant is sometimes 
reared for fences. It grows close, and yields a great quantity 
of leaves. It grows rapidly with the same treatment as the 
beech, but is inferior in strength or resistance. 
The Holly (Ilex aquifolium) is a very slow-growing plant 
when young, taking generally about eight years to attain the 
height of two feet, with a proportionable breadth and well 
furnished roots. It would be a very easy matter to produce 
plants of this height in half that time; this is readily effected 
by keeping them close together in the nursery lines, and 
