reducing the Size and Numhei- of Hedges. 
335 
and low fences. In my opinion, fences, when kept by clipping to 
a heia:ht not exceeding 3 feet, answer every useful purpose. 
Being thick at the bottom (whilst high fences arc always thin), 
thev elTectuallv prevent ihe passage of sheep, and are sufficiently 
high to confine all cattle,, and they do not, like the high fences, 
exclude the air from arable lands. The ill effects of high fences 
upon the corn crops cannot but be obvious to every practical 
farmer. In harvest time, if a little rain should fall in the night, 
they cause a delay of some hours each day in carting the corn 
Iving near them, and when in a wooded country, in the opinion 
of some, cause blight and mildew. A labourer may indeed once 
in a period varying from ten to twenty years, when they are cut 
down, reap a share of faggot-wood, but even then very often the 
greatest part of the cuttings is used as a guard whilst the fence 
is growing again. Corn crops when growing near high fences 
are, from the eddy in the wind which they occasion, more liable 
to be thrown down and injured by storms beating upon them, 
than when growing by low ones. Another objection too, and 
that not inconsiderable, is the shelter and encouragement given 
by fences when high, to vermin, sparrows, and other small birds. 
The larger the fields, of course the less the injury from high fences, 
but they are always useless, and generally speaking, injurious. 
The plan which I have pursued for so long a space of time, 
and which I will now describe, I have found to combine all ad- 
vantages which are to be derived from the various methixls of fenc- 
ing. The land intended to be taken for a new fence should be 
well tempered and cleaned, as well for the riddance of weeds, as 
for the advantage of the roots of the quick. A ditch is then to 
be set out 4 feet wide, part of the top soil being carefully placed 
as a bed for the young layer or quick. This bed will raise the 
quick about 8 inches from the surface soil ; the layer is then to 
be placed on the bed in an inclined position, as represented in 
fig. I (a) ; the remainder of the top soil is then to be carefully 
laid on the roots of the quick. The rest of the earth being thrown 
on will complete the bank on which is to be placed a dead thorn 
hedge {b), as a protection on that side, and the ditch when 
finished will be about 3 feet deep. The layer is to be cut off so 
as to stand out about '1 inches from the bank. A single row of 
nine sets in the yard is sufficient. I have found ^the first winter 
quarter to be the best time for planting, and the layer should be 
lour years old, having been transplanted at two years' growth from 
the seed-bed. The dead fence will last two years, but may be 
made to last longer, if at the end of the first year a light single 
rail and post of English fir is added, as shown in tig. 1 (c). This 
will generally last till the fence is fit to be thrown open to cattle. 
