78 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 
for a short time from the action of the atmosphere by means 
of a piece of clay. In the course of a few weeks, if these pre- 
cautions have been attended to, adhesion takes place, and the 
result is, that a natural living fence has been formed, having 
openings of a diamond shape, which may be made of course 
of any size that may be required ; it being only requisite to 
place the stems in the earth at a greater or less distance from 
each other. 
The adhesion takes place in the following manner according 
to the laws of Vegetable Physiology. The plates of bark 
being removed on each stem, and the stems approximated to 
each other at that part, it follows, that as the fluids rise in 
the stems of exogenous trees, within the woody portion of the 
trunk and descend within the bark, — that the stems being 
closely tied to each other, and kept at their point of union 
from the action of the air, the Cambium exudes, forms new 
w T ood, and the stems unite by the natural process. 
The advantages which I consider this kind of fencing to 
possess over that in ordinary use are the following : — 
1st. That it is rustic, and has not the hard and stiff ap- 
pearance of the fencing made by carpenters. 
2nd. That so long as the trees of which it is formed are 
alive, it never requires to be in any way repaired, as living 
wood resists the action of the weather. The young shoots, 
should any spring forth, to be removed by the pruning knife. 
3rd. That it may be carried to any height without addi- 
tional expense, by training or running up the stems to the 
required height. 
4th. That it acquires strength and thickness by the de- 
position of new wood annually ; so, that in the course of 
years, when the stems have acquired the greatest degree of 
thickness, and have obliterated the openings, in the first in- 
stance made, a complete solid living wooden wall will be 
the result. 
5th. That owing to the well known durability and power 
of resisting the action of the weather of the bark, and ex- 
ternal portions of living trees, a fence made on this plan does 
not require to be covered with tar, or any other preparations 
requiring much time, labour, expense, and annoyance in the 
operation. 
6th. That the first expense is the last, and is much 
cheaper also, in the first instance, than the ordinary kind of 
fencing employed, not requiring an annual expenditure to 
keep it in order ; living wood, as before observed, withstand- 
