THE CRABTHORN, among the deciduous tribe, stands next indeed, taken all in all, it may be faid to rival the Hawthorn itself. Its growth is confiderably quicker, and it will thrive in poorer foils, and in bleaker fituations; and although it may not be fo thorny and full of branches as the Haw-bufh, yet it grows fufficiently rugged to make an admirable fence. Add to this, though its branches may not be preferable to thofe of the Hawthorn for shooting dead hedges, they undoubtedly afford a much greater quantity of stakes; and no wood whatever (the Yew perhaps only excepted) affords better ftakes than the Crab tree. The feedling plants, too, are readily raised, as the feeds of the Crab vegetate the first year. We do not mean, however, to force down the Crab bush upon our Reader as being, in a general light, preferable to the Hawthorn: we wish only to ftate, impartially, their comparative value; leaving him to confult his own fituation and conveniency, and, having fo done, to judge for himfelf. Neverthelefs, from what has been adduced, we may venture to conclude, that upon a barren foil, and in a bleak fituation, the Crab bufh, as a Hedge wood, claims a preference to the Hawthorn,

THE AQUATICS.

As the Crab excels the Hawthorn, upon bleak barren hills, fo the Aquatics gain a preference, in low fwampy grounds: for although

the

the Hawthorn delights in a moift fituation, yet much ftagnant water about its roots is offenfive to it. Of the Aquatics, the Alder feems to claim a preference; its growth is more forked and fhrubby than that of the Poplar or Willow; and its leaves are particularly unfavory to cattle. In point of ornament, however, it is exceeded by the Black Poplar, which, if kept pruned on the fides, will feather to the ground, and form a clofe and tolerably good fence.

THE HOLLY. Much has been faid, and much has been written, of the excellency of Holly hedges: nevertheless, as fences to farm inclofures, they ftill exift in books and theory only; not having yet been introduced into general practice, we believe, in any part of the kingdom. Their fuperiority, however, whether in point of utility or or nament, is univerfally acknowledged. The perpetual verdure they exhibit, the fuperior kind of fhelter they afford, during the winter months, and the everlastingness of their duration (an old decayed Holly being an object rarely to be feen in nature), all unite in establishing their excellency. How then are we to account for the fcarcity of Holly hedges? The difficulty of raising them, and the flowness of their growth, have been held out as obstacles; and fuch they are, in truth; but they are obftacles arifing rather from a want of proper

proper management, than from any caufe inherent in the Holly itself. Thousands of young Hollies have been destroyed, by being planted out impro perly, in the spring, at the time that the Hawthorn is usually planted: and the few which escape total destruction, by fuch injudicious removal, receive a check which cripples their growth, probably for feveral years.

WE do not mean to intimate, that, by any treatment whatever, the progrefs of the Holly can be made to keep pace with that of the Hawthorn, or the Crab and we are of opinion that it ought, by reafon of the comparative flowness of its growth, to be raised under one or other of these two plants; more especially under the Crab, which, as has been obferved, has a more upright tendency than the Hawthorn, and confequently will afford more air, as well as more room to the Holly rifing under it.

BUT whilst we thus venture to recommend raifing the Holly under the Crabthorn, we are by no means of opinion that it is difficult to raife a hedge of Holly alone. The principal disadvantage. arifing comparatively from this practice is, that the dead fence will be required to be kept up at. leaft ten or twelve years, inftead of fix or feven; in which time a Crabthorn hedge, properly ma naged, may be made a fence, and will remain fo,

without

without further expence, until the Holly become impregnable; when the Crab may either be removed, or permitted to remain, as taste, profit, or conveniency may point out.

THE Holly will thrive upon almost any foil. but thin-foiled heights feem to be its natural fituation. We may venture to fay, that where corn will grow, Holly will thrive abundantly; and Holly hedges feem to be peculiarly well adapted to an arable country: for, being of flow growth, and its perfpiration being comparatively small, the Holly does not fuck the land (as the Countryman's phrafe is), and thereby rob the adjoining corn of its nourishment, fo much as the Hawthorn; which, if fuffered to run up to that unpardonable height, and to ftraggle abroad to that fhameful width, at. which we frequently fee it, is not much less pernicious, in its effects upon corn land, than the Ash itself.

THE FURZE is rather an affiftant Hedge wood, than a fhrub which, alone, will make a fence. Upon light barren land, however, where no other wood will grow to advantage, tolerable fences may be made with Furze alone.

THERE is one material difadvantage of Furze, as a live Hedge wood; the branches are liable to be

killed by fevere frofts, especially if the plants be fuffered to grow tall, branchy, and thin at the botIt follows, that the best prefervative against this malady is, to keep them cropped down low, and bufhy; indeed, they are of little ufe, as a fence, unless they be kept in that state.

In Norfolk, it is a practice, which of late years has become almoft univerfal, to fow Furze feed upon the top of the ditch bank; especially when a new Hedge is planted. In a few years, the Furzes get up, and become a fhelter and defence to the young quick; and, affifted by the high ditch bank prevalent in that country, afford a comfortable shelter to cattle in winter; befides fupplying, at every fall, a confiderable quantity of Farmhouse fuel.

SECTION THE SECOND.

METHOD AND TIME OF PLANTING HEDGEROWS.

I. THE FENCEWOOD. The method varies with the foil, and the time with the fpecies of wood to be planted.

IN