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§ IX.

Of the proper Size of Plants.

If the young thorns are of an equally healthy temperament, the vigour with which they advance will be nearly in proportion to the fize of the plant; fo that it is of great confequence that these be not too fmall. The leaft fize of thorns that I think should ever be planted out, if the plants can be got, should be such as are about the bigness of a man's little finger; but they will be better if about the fize of the thumb. If plants are reared in a very rich nursery, till they are of this fize, and have had the earth carefully dug about them each year, fo as to make them have their roots very much multiplied close by the stem, and be planted in a good foil in the manner after mentioned, few

perfons

perfons have any comprehenfion of the degree of vigour with which they will advance. In fuch a cafe, the farmer may reafonably expect that the shoots of the first year will be, at a medium, between three and four feet in length, and fome of them confiderably beyond that. It would be difficult to rear plants to a larger fize than this in a nursery; and, although they may be fometimes got of a larger fize, by grubbing up a hedge which it is necessary to remove; yet as, in this cafe, the roots have been allowed to extend to a greater distance when growing, there is a neceffity of cutting off many of thefe at raifing them, fo as to leave but few fibres adhering to the plant; on which account, it is not to be expected, that they will advance fo faft as plants of a smaller fize, which have had their roots properly formed by a judicious management in the nursery; yet plants of this kind ought not to be rejected, as I have fometimes feen them

them send out shoots of very great strength

and vigour.

§ X.

Of the proper Seafon for planting thefe.

As the strength and future healthiness of a hedge in a great measure depend upon the vigour of the fhoots it makes the first year, too much care cannot be taken to guard against every circumftance that may tend to retard its progrefs at that period. On this account, it is of very great confequence, to have every hedge planted as early in winter as poffible. For, I have found, by long experience, that, if one part of a hedge has been planted early in winter, and another part of it in the months of March or April, when the buds begin to fwell, all other

circumftances being equal, the shoots of the firft year, from that part which has been first planted, have always been nearly double the fize of those of the other part, and continue ever afterwards to be more healthy and vigorous in every refpect; which is a circumftance that few, who have not experienced it, would naturally have expected. If the spring be not very backward, thorns should seldom be planted after the beginning of February; and, in the most backward seasons that we ever experience, none should ever be planted after the beginning of March, if it can poffibly be avoided. It is a good method, in general, for those who have a great deal of work of this kind to perform, to begin to plant early in autumn; taking only fo much earth from the ditch at that time, as is neceffary to cover the roots of the plants fufficiently; and running along the whole in this manner as quickly as poffible, fo as to have the quicks all plant

planted early in winter; after which the ditches may be finished, without any lofs, in the fpring. But, even in this case, the whole ought to be finished in the month of March, otherwife the young fhoots will be much injured by the difturbance they will. meet with.

§ XI.

Of Trimming before Planting,

As the vigour of the first shoots of a hedge, likewise, in a great measure, depends upon the proper trimming of the young thorns before planting, I fhall beg to make a few obfervations on that head.

Every tree, when it is transplanted, lofes a part of its roots, and is on this account un

able

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