On Fences. 
207 
necessary secretion for its support during the following spring and 
summer. Let it prepare it therefore in its new station. There is 
a slight perspiratory action going on from the bark of trees even in 
winter, so that the more humid the atmosphere is the less will a 
plant suffer by being removed. Autumn, then, is on this account 
also the more ehgible season. It is not to be denied that many 
hedges are planted and succeed tolerably in the months of Febru- 
ary and March ; but it is equally certain that in many seasons 
during these months the atmosphere is so cold and dry as mate- 
rially to affect vegetation. I am confident the latter part of Oc- 
tober and the commencement of November is the best time both 
for the hawthorns themselves, and for getting the best plants to be 
had at the nurseries. 
16. The choice of plants is a subject on which a variety of opi- 
nion prevails, some maintaining that it is better even to sow the 
haws in the line where they are to remain. This mode, as also 
the planting of one or two years' seedlings, can never find general 
favour with planters, on account of the length of time exhausted in 
protecting the fence and consequent expense of cleaning j for a 
hedge which grows but slowly requires a great deal more attention 
than a strong one, w hich rapidly covers the soil and gets the mas- 
tery over the weeds. Generally, the age of plants used for fences 
is four years, either one-year seedlings, which, after being trans- 
planted, have stood three years in hues, or two years' seedlings, 
which have stood two years in the nursery lines. The size, how- 
ever, is of more importance than the age, and the thickness of the 
stem is to be looked to, and not the height of the plant. Those of 
the thickness of a man's finger, or such as are an inch and a half 
in circumference, are to be preferred to any other ; and the oftener 
they have undergone the process of transplantation in the nursery 
the better will they be furnished with fibrous roots, a consideration 
which should be always borne in mind. There is a plan, not often 
practised by respectable nurserymen, but very common with 
market gardeners, of lifting a large quantity of the whitethorn at a 
certain time and binding them in bundles about the size of a sheaf 
of corn. Those bundles are taken to market w ith their roots ex- 
posed to the sun and wind at certain periods for a whole day, and 
if left unsold are taken home to undergo the same treatment till 
disposed of Such plants are said to have " stood the market," 
and are quite worthless. Akin to this process is the nurseryman's 
practice of counting up several thousands of hawthorn plants, 
binding them in hundreds or in parcels of two or three hundreds 
each, and laying them so bound into the soil to await a customer, 
it may be, for several months. A great proportion of the plants 
so treated must die, because in covering them up the soil does not 
