136 



THE HORNBEAM. 



called catkins, and a small nut^ which, however, 

 I believe is useless. The wood is more es- 

 teemed on the continent than in this country. 

 It is white, hard, and tough, and used by- 

 turners, mill-wrights, and the makers of tools 

 and wooden ware. As it holds its leaves long, 

 and bears clipping well, it makes an excellent 

 hedge." 



^^I have seen," said Mr. Longhurst, ^*^th^ 

 high roads in Germany fenced, or guarded, 

 for miles together, by a sort of living palisado 

 of hornbeam. A parapet, or bank, of earth is 

 first thrown up by the husbandman, with a 

 ditch on each side ; then he plants on this 

 ridge a double row of sets, and afterwards 

 bends and ties them together with straw, 

 scraping off the bark where the twigs touch. 

 In a little time, these grow to each other. 



