Thk Thorn (Black). 



the two, we never heard of such a thing as the planting of 

 a Black Thorn Hedge. 



511. As bushes, for the making of hedges, the Black 

 Thorn is ahvays carefully laid by when hedge-rows and 

 coppices are cut. These bushes will lay longer in a dead 

 hedge without perishing than any other sort of stuff of 

 which dead hedges are made. This Thorn w^ill thrive, and 

 that vigorously too, in the veiy poorest of land* It sends up 

 straighter shoots from the stem than the White Thorn 

 does, and these shoots send out, from their very bottom, 

 numerous and vigorous side-shoots, all armed with sharp 

 thorns. The knots produced by these side-shoots are so 

 thickly set, that, when the shoot is cut, whether it be little 

 or big, it makes the most beautiful of all walking or riding 

 sticks. The bark, which is precisely of the colour of the 

 Horse Chesnut fruit, and as smooth and as bright, needs no 

 polish ; and, ornamented by the numerous knots, the stick 

 is the very prettiest that can be conceived. Little do the 

 bucks, when they are drinking Port wine (good old rough 

 Port), imagine, that, by possibility, the beautiful stick 

 with which they are tapping the sole of their boot, while 

 admiring their legs ; never does their philosophy carry 

 them so far as to lead them to reflect, that, by possibility, 

 for the " fine old Port," which has caused them so much 

 pleasure, they are indebted to the very stick M'ith which 

 they are caressing their admired Wellington boots! 



512. In some situations, it would not be difficult to obtain 

 Black Thorn seed enough to plant a hedge of consider- 

 able length ; and, at any rate, it may be done if any one 

 will take the pains; and, therefore, I shall now proceed to 

 state the manner of raising the plants. The seeds are not 

 properly ripe until pretty late in the month of October, 



