OF FOREST-TREES. 



107 



" generally escaped, very few of them miscarrying. Now the planting cHAP. 



" thus advanced, the next care is fencing, which is performed by setting '""^y 



" an hedge of about twenty inches high upon the top of the bank, on 



" each side thereof, leaning a little outward from the sets, which will 



" protect them as well, if not better, than an hedge of three feet, or four 



" inches more, standing upon the surface of the ground, which being 



" raised with the turfs and sods about twenty inches, and the hedge 



" about twenty inches more, will make three feet four inches, so as no 



" cattle can approach the dead hedge to prejudice it, unless they set their 



*' feet in the ditch itself ; which will be at least a foot deep, and from the 



" bottom of the foss to the top of the hedge, about four feet and a half, 



" which they can hardly reach over to crop the quick, as they might in 



" the old way ; and besides, such an hedge will endure a year longer. — 



" I have at this present time an hedge which has stood these five years ; 



" and though nine or ten feet be sufficient for both ditches and bank, yet 



" where the ground is but indifferent, it is better husbandry to take 



" twelve feet, which will allow of a bank at least six feet broad, and 



" gives more scope to place the dead hedges farther from the sets ; and 



" the ditches being shallow, will, in two years' time, graze, though I con- 



" fine myself for the most part to nine or ten, because I would take off 



" the only objection of wasting ground by this way, should others follow 



" it. In reply to this, I affirm. That if you take twelve feet in breadth, 



" for ditch and bank, you waste more ground than by the common way : 



" for in that a quick is rarely set, but there is nine feet between the 



" dead hedges, which is entirely lost all the time of fencing : when as 



" with double ditches, there remains at least eighteen inches on each 



" side where the turfs were set on edge, that bear more grass than when 



" it lay on the flat. But admitting it did totally lay waste three feet 



" of ground, the damage were very inconsiderable, since forty perches, 



" in length two hundred and twenty yards, which make perches 



" 7, 25'', 9', or 7^ poles, at thirteen shillings and fourpence the acre, 



" amounts not to 7id. pe?- aim. Now that this is not only the best but 



" cheapest way of quick-setting, will appear by comparing the charge 



" of both. In the usual way, the charge of a three feet ditch is fourpence 



" per pole, the owner providing sets ; if the workman finds them, he 



*' wiU have for making the said ditch, and setting them, eightpence the 



" pole, and for hedging, twopence ; that is, for both sides fourpence the 



" pole, which renders the charge of hedging, ditching, and sets, twelve- 



