On Fences. 
227 
Chap. III. — Tree culture apart from Hedf/c-roics, and the necessity 
of plantinf/ fence-icood, ^r. 
46. It is unquestionable tliat herbage succeeds best in close situ- 
ations : corn thrives best and yields most in open, unsheltered places, 
wh'.M'e there is a free ventilation. Again: the air may pass too 
freely or rapidly over the coinitry for the rearing and fattening of 
animals, which, it is found, thrive best when sheltered during the 
cold months and shaded during the summer time. Hence it is 
that for this purpose graziers consider fifty acres divided into five 
inclosures equal to sixty acres in one inclosure. In short, I believe 
it to be beyond controversy that permanent pastures and meadow 
lands shoidd have trees about them ; and that corn lands should, 
if possible, be without them. It remains for me, therefore, to urge 
the necessity of forming the hedge-line aroinid pastures entirely of 
hedge plants, and placing the trees, wherever practicable, at about 
two feet behind the hedge. On road-sides the trees will have to 
be planted within the hedge, but in whichever case it may 
happen it is absolutely necessary to diverge from the hedge- 
line so far as that the trunk of the tree when grown up shall not in- 
terfere with the outline of the fence. Were it not considered 
indispensable to maintain in some measure that characteristic fea- 
ture of English scenerj' — its hedge-row trees — I should be inclined 
to recommend, instead of them, strips of close plantations altoge- 
ther apart and away from the fence, so that the hedge might escape 
their drip and shade; but as it would be in vain to attempt such 
an innovation, I am content to recommend that the trees planted 
as hedge-row timber should not interfere so closely as they do at 
present with the form of the hedge. 
Witli corn-lands it is quite another matter. Except in extreme 
oases, such as where the lands are high and very much exposed, 
it is my firm conviction that they should not be planted ; and as it 
will be asked, no dovibt, how I should dispose of them, or where I 
should plant the trees, I would earnestly recommend that they 
should be for the future cultivated more extensively on our waste 
lands, bi/ themselves, in woods, in strips, in circles where the fences 
intersect each other, or in such other way as local circumstances 
might suggest, so as not to interfere with the growth of green 
crops. In itself, the disposition of our hedge-row trees is without 
much beauty ; and our attachment to a form so regular and mo- 
notonous is chiefly to be attributed, I think, to old custom ; though 
it must be confessed that their beingr cast about a field so univer- 
sally gives the country a somewhat rich and sheltered appearance. 
However, it is not to be doubted that those wlio shall have the 
courage to throw their corn-fields open to the influences of an 
Q 2 
