of the hedge will be checked; and, while its face is kept pruned in the manner here described, there is no fear of its becoming thin at the bottom.

THUS far we have been speaking of the method of training the SINGLE HEDGE, whether of Crab or Hawthorn. In raifing the HOLLY, under either of these plants, a different kind of pruning is neceffary for, notwithstanding the Holly will ftruggle, in a furprizing manner, under the fhade and drip of other plants, yet the more air and head room it is allowed, the greater progress it will make. In this cafe, therefore, the deciduous plants fhould be pruned to fingle ftems, in the nursery manner; for all that is required of these is strength and tallness; the Holly being a fufficient guard at the bottom.

THIS may be thought an endless bufinefs, by those who have not practifed it; but is it not equally endless to prune the young plants of a nurfery? And we here beg leave to remind the young planter, that if he does not pay that care and attention to his hedgelings, in every stage of the business, as he does to his nursery rows, he is a ftranger to his own intereft. The advantage of obtaining a live fence, on a certainty, in feven or eight years, compared with that of taking the chance of one, in fifteen or twenty, is fcarcely to be done

away by any expence whatever, bestowed upon planting and training it.

WE are, indeed, fo fully impreffed with this idea, that we believe every Gentleman would find his account in having even his fingle Hedges trained with naked ftems, in order that they might the fooner arrive at the defirable ftate above defcribed, a range of living piles. We wish to be understood, however, that we throw this out as a hint to those who wish to excel in whatever they undertake, rather than to recommend it, as a practice, to Hedge planters in general.

NEVERTHELESS, We recommend, in general terms, and in the ftrongest manner, to keep the face of a young Hedge pruned, in the manner above defcribed or, if the plants be browzed by cattle, or otherwise become ftinted and fhrubby, to have them cut down, within a few inches of the ground; and by this and every other method promote, as much as poffible, their upward growth. It is fome time before a young Hedge becomes an abfolute fence, against refolute ftock; and the shortest way of making it a blind, is, by encouraging its upward growth, to raise it high enough to prevent their looking over it; and, by trimming it on the fides, to endeavour to render it thick enough, to prevent their feeing through it; giving it

thereby

thereby the appearance, at leaft, of a perfect fence.

As

A HEDGE, pruned with naked stems, requires a different treatment, to perfect it as a fence. soon as the stems have acquired a sufficient stability, they should be cut off, hedge height; and, in order to give additional stiffness, as well as to bring the live ftakes into drill, fome strong dead stakes should be driven in, here and there. This done, the whole fhould be tightly eddered together, near the top. As an adequate fence against horned cattle, the stems are required to be of confiderable thickness; but as a fufficient reftraint to sheep only, strong plants may be thus treated, a few after planting; especially thofe of the Crab bush. Upon a sheep farm, pruning the plants would be eligible, were it only for the purpose of getting their heads out of the way of their most dangerous enemies.

years

SECTION THE FIFTH,

MANAGEMENT OF GROWN HEDGEROWS.

I. MANAGEMENT of the HEDGE. There is one general rule to be observed, in this business; -cut often for the countryman's maxim is a good one;"Cut thorns and have thorns,"

THE proper length of time between the cuttings depends upon the plant, the foil, and other circumftances: eight or ten years may be taken as the medium age, at which the Hawthorn is cut in moft countries.

IN Norfolk, however, the Hedges are seldom cut under twelve to fifteen years; and are sometimes fuffered to run twenty and even thirty years, without cutting! The confequence is, the stronger plants have, by that time, arrived at a tree-like fize, while the underlings are overgrown and fuffocated the number of ftems are reduced in proportion, and, at that age, it is hazardous to fell the few which remain.

IN Surrey and Kent, feven or eight years old is the ufual age at which the Farmers cut down their Quickfet Hedges and, in Yorkshire, they are frequently cut fo young as five or fix. This may be one reafon of the excellency of the Yorkshire Hedges; for, under this course of treatment, every ftem, whether ftrong or weak, has a fair chance : the weak ones are enabled to withstand fo fhort a struggle, while the large ones are rather invigo rated, than checked, by fuch timely cropping.

For a remarkable infance of this, fee MID. EÇON. Vol. II. p. 383.

WITH refpect to the first cutting, this also must be guided by circumstances: a full-ftemmed thriving Hedge may stand from twenty to thirty years, between the planting and the first fall; but, if the plants get moffy, or grow fhrubby and flattopped, or put on any other appearance of being difeafed or ftinted; or, if they are unequal in strength, so that the weaker are in danger of fuffering; or, if a young Hedge be much broken into gaps, or any other way rendered defective as a fence, the fooner it is cut down the better; for time will not mend it, and tampering with it will make it worfe: whereas cutting it down, within a few inches of the ground, will give a falutary relief to the roots, and the fresh fhoots will furnifh a full fupply of ftems; without which no Hedge can be deemed perfect,

THE ufual time of cutting is during the spring months of February, March, April. The Hawthorn, however, may be cut any time in winter; and it is obfervable, that the fhoots from the ftools of Hedges cut in May, when the leaves were breaking forth, have been equally as ftrong as those from Hedges felled early in the spring. This late felling, however, is not recommended as a practice; the brush wood, cut out at that time, being of less value, than that which is cut when the fap is down,