98 



A DISCOURSE 



CHAP. VI. 



Of FENCES, QUICKSETS, S^c. 



Ouu main plantation is now finished, and our forest adorned with a 

 just variety : but what is yet all this labour, but loss of time and irre- 

 parable expense, unless our young and (as yet) tender plants be suffi- 

 ciently guarded with munitions from all external injuries ? For, as old 

 Tusser, 



M cattit or tQwr^ mat) twitx tc crop, 

 i^oims (J^afe is in tjancrtv uf loisin^; \)\^ top. 



But with something a more polished style, though to the same pur- 

 pose, the best of poets ; 



Texendse sepes etiam, et pecus omne tenendum est : 

 Praecipue dum frons tenera, imprudensque laborum : 

 Cui, super indignas hyemes, solemque potentem, 

 Sylvestres uri assidue, capreseque sequaces 

 lUudunt ; Pascuntur oves, avidaeque juvencas. 

 Frigora nec tantum cana concreta pruinaj 

 Aut gravis incnrabens scopulis arentibus asstas ; 

 Quantum Uli nocuere greges, durique venenum 



Dentis, et admorso signata in stirpe cicatrix. efeoRG. ii. 



Guard, too, from cattle thy new-planted ground. 



And infant-vines that ill can bear a vi^ound : 



For not alone by winter's chiUing frost. 



Or summer's scorching beam the young are lost ,' 



But the wild buffaloes and greedy cows, 



And goats and sportive kids the branches browse ; 



Not piercing colds, nor Sirius' beams that beat 



On the parch'd hills, and split their tops with heat, 



So deeply injure, as the nibbling flocks. 



That wound with venom'd teeth, the tender, fearful stocks. 



The reason that so many complain of the improsperous condition of 

 their woodlands and plantations of this kind, proceeds from this neglect ; 

 though, sheep excepted, there is no employment whatsoever incident to 

 the farmer, which requu-es less expense to gratify his expectations ; one 

 diliffent and skilful man wiU govern five hundi'ed acres : but if tlu-ough 

 any accident a beast shall break into his master's field, or the wicked 

 hunter make a gap for his dogs and horses, what a clamour is there made 



