there continues fmall and weakly; while the top, continuing to advance with luxu riance, becomes fo large and weighty as to be, with difficulty, fupported by these small naked fhanks, which gradually become barer and barer every year. But every one knows, that, if the bottom of a hedge is o

pen, it is of very little confequence whether

it be close above or not: And, I leave it to be determined by experience, whether this is not, in general, the condition of hedges which have been clipped in the top when young; efpecially in thofe cafes where the hedge

of the stem, fo as to enable it properly to fupport its top, nature gradually frees herself from these useless branches; and, by their gradual decay, the ftem is left of that delicate taper-form which is best adapted both for strength and beauty. This is the regular progrefs of nature, if left to herself. It ought to be the study of man to improve upon the hints that she affords him, and to direct her operations fo as that they may beft concur with him in promoting his defign.

hedge has made vigorous fhoots the firft year. And, if it shall be found, that this is, in general, the cafe, we must conclude, that this practice tends to make the hedge thinner, as well as weaker than it would have been, if it had been entirely omitted.

But, if an hedge is allowed to advance in height, without being cut in the top, the fmall branches that fpring out near the root, not being starved by the extraordinary fuction, or fuffocated by the shade of too luxuriant branches above them, continue to live, and detain a part of the fap; fo as to make the under part of the ftem ftill continue to encrease in fize and ftrength, and be well able to fupport the fmall top that it thus acquires. And, if the most luxuriant fidebranches that may spring out above, are, from time to time, pruned away, so as not, to be allowed to overfhade those that may be below; these last will continue to grow as long as the hedge exifts. And as, by this manage

management, there will be but few fidebranches of any confiderable fize, the principal stems will advance with very great vigour, gradually tapering from the root upwards.

I cannot be too particular in advifing the hufbandman to beftow almost his whole attention to the proper formation of the upright stems of the hedge: Because, upon this, the whole future ftrength of the hedge must entirely depend. And, if these are once rightly formed, it will be an easy matter to give it every quality that we could wish for in a hedge. For, if these strong ftems should even be entirely deftitute of fmall branches, they may be made to push out abundance of them whenever it may be thought neceffary, only by making a flight wound in the naked ftem, where-ever you defire that young branches fhould appear: For, below every fuch wound, a number of fmall fhoots will fpring forth the ensuing

feafon ; the points of which being cut off, will send out a ftill greater number of small twigs, which, by being frequently cut, will, in a fhort time, form a covering as close as could be defired.

The truth of this reafoning I myself experienced at a very early period of my life; for, having then had occafion to drefs a garden that was surrounded by an old hedge, which had always been allowed to grow as nature prompted; never, that I know of, having been touched either by knife or scisfars, I found the branches ftraggling very far on every fide, all of which I caused to be cut off quite close by the upright stems, which then were left entirely naked, and appeared like as many may-poles placed befide one another. But, by cutting a good many flight notches all along these stems, at the distance of a few inches from one another, they were, in one year, entirely covered with young fhoots; which, by being cut once

or

or twice in one feafon, put out fuch a number of fmaller ramifications, as in a fhort time formed a covering fo very close, that it was hardly poffible to see any object through it at any part. Nor did I ever, in my life, see a hedge, that, either for strength or beauty, could be compared with this one. Many of the stems being fix or eight inches in diameter; and they grew fo close to one a nother, that no animal larger than a small bird could poffibly have penetrated it.

From these observations, I hope, it will appear evident, that, if we wish to have a right hedge, either for ftrength or closenefs, it is of importance never to shorten the top-shoots; at least, while it is young. But, it is always of use to prune the fides ; cutting off all the lateral fhoots, with the fciffars, quite closs to the upright stems, after the first year's growth. And if, after the growth of the fecond year, it should so happen, that too many shoots have sprung

out