able to abforb fo much nourishment as would be neceffary to make it push out shoots with an equal degree of vigour as if it had not been removed; it, therefore, becomes neceffary to lop off fome part of the top of every tree when transplanted, that the remaining roots may be able to absorb abundant nourifhment for these branches that we leave behind. If the plant is old, the proportion of roots that it lofes by being transplanted is always greater than when it is young; but, in all cafes, it is neceffary to lop off fome part of the top of the plant, otherwise there is great danger that it will then receive a check in its growth and become ftinted; which is a difease that hardly admits of a cure but by amputation. To prevent this dangerous disease in a hedge, it is always proper to cut off the top of the quick entirely; which never fails to make it send out fhoots the first year of a more than ordinary degree of vigour. This amputation ought always to be

per

formed by a fharp tool, that the wound may be as clean as poffible; and, when the hedge is to be planted on the face of a bank, it ought to be made about twelve inches. above the root. Although this operation is not fo indifpenfibly neceffary on young plants as on those that are older; yet it is always of use, and ought never to be omitted.

Gardeners too often neglect this most neceffary operation, and almost as univerfally prune the roots too much. If the plants have not been brought from a distance, or long kept out of the ground, it is only neceffary to cut off the points of such roots as have been lacerated in taking up the plants; leaving as many small roots as poffible, if they are found. If, indeed, they have been too long expofed to the weather, fo as to have fome part of the smallest fibres killed, it will not be improper to cut away thefe dead fibres; but, it is in general the

safest plan, to prune the roots but

very

little

before planting.

§ XII.

Directions for the Manner of Planting.

The proper method of planting this kind of hedge is, first to turn up a little of the earth from the place where the ditch is to be made, and lay it upon the bank reverfed; fo as to form a bed for the plant about two inches thick above the folid ground, Upon this the thorns should be laid nearly in a horizontal direction, but enclining a little upward in the point, aad having the ends of the ftems juft equal with the face of the bank, or projecting beyond it a very little, not more than half an inch; by which means, every plant will send out only one or two shoots, which will be the more vigorous as there are fo few of them. But, if any of these plants fhould

fhould fend out a greater number of shoots, it will be proper to prune away all these supernumeraries the firft winter after planting; cutting them with a knife close by the stem from which they fpring: For, it is the largeness of thefe original stamina of the hedge that will afterwards conftitute its ftrength, and not the number of small ramifications, as is too generally imagined. But, if the fhoots are numerous, they never do acquire fuch a degree of ftrength as when there are fewer of them.

The plants being thus regularly laid, fhould have their roots immediately covered with the best mold taken from the furface of the ditch; and the workmen should take care to keep that good mold well back upon the bank, and rather behind the roots, leaving the breaft of the bank to be made up by the lefs fertile earth taken from the bottom of the ditch. By this means the roots will have all the good earth about them;

in which they will fpread with freedom, and draw from it abundant nourishment; and the bad earth which forms the breaft of the bank will produce much fewer weeds there, than the good earth would have done, if it had been kept near the furface. You will now likewife perceive the reason for cutting the plants at fuch a diftance above the roots, (§ XI.) viz. that you may be thus allowed to put the roots among the good mold, and still leave room for a breast-work of bad earth of a fufficient thickness; whereas, if they had been cut shorter than is there mentioned, you would not only have been deprived of this conveniency, but would also have been obliged to plant the roots fo near to the breast of the ditch, as to expose them very much to the droughts of fummer, which would greatly retard their growth; for no plant delights more in a moderate degree of moisture than the white thorn; which is probably one reafon why it

thrives