334 
On the Advantage of 
ing fields, but also for carrying off the water. A neat and strong 
white-thorn fence answers effectually both the former ends, whilst 
the use of draining tiles entirely supersedes the necessity for 
ditches for the latter, and they are therefore no longer required 
as part of a permanent fence. 
Ditches, when made on high land, very generally remain dry, 
and are in all cases admirably adapted for raising docks and all 
kinds of weeds, the seeds of which, when the ditches are scoured, 
and the scourings used as they usually are for the bottom of 
dung-heaps, are unwittingly carried and spread on the land, to 
the great annoyance and disadvantage of the farmer. Their only 
use is in raising a thorn hedge, and acting as a guard on one side 
against injury to the quick by cattle and sheep, and that of course 
no longer than until the young fence is sufficiently strong, which 
will be in about four years on good land, and five or six on poor 
land, to resist their attacks, when the ditch becomes altogether 
useless. 
In some parts of Cambridgeshire ditches are not used even in 
raising a fence, a double row of quick being planted upon a raised 
bank of about 18 inches in height, and guarded on each side with 
posts and triple rails. The bank is entirely composed of sur- 
face soil, which causes the hedge to grow most luxuriantly. This 
is a good plan, but it is expensive, the cost for the whole, includ- 
ing the quick, sawing, &c., is 55. a rod, or perhaps more ; but 
as foreign as well as English fir is now much clieaper than for- 
merly, and will most probably be even more so, I have no doubt 
this method will become more general. 
Another plan in Cambridgeshire is to raise a table, as it is 
there called, with a liack ditch on each side, the width altogether 
occupying about 1 1 feet. A double row of white-thorn quick is 
planted on the centre of the table, and a guard is added on each 
side composed of posts and triple rails. The heiglit of the bank 
varies from 2 to 3 feet. This method is rather more expensive 
than the last, the contract price being at this time from 22s. to 
25.V. per chain. 
The double hedges of the north of England, as well as Ihe 
huge bank and ditch so prevalent in the south, are equally objec- 
tionable by reason of the quantity of land they cover. Some of 
the bank and ditch fences, especially old ones, including the 
border which must necessarily be left on each side (and which 
are generally much wider than needful), are 10 or 15 feet wide. 
This is a great waste of land, more especially where the fields are 
small, which must considerably diminish the produce, and conse 
quenlly the profits, and of course be severely felt l)y the small 
farmer. 
Other points to be considered are the respective merits of high 
