rs
upon occasion) they plant them according to my description, and raise
fences so speedily, and so impenetrable, that our best are not to enter
into the comparison. Yet, that I may not be wanting to direct such as
either affect the other way, or whose grounds may require some bank of
earth, as ordinarily the verges of copp'ces, and other inclosures do;
you shall by line, cast up your foss of about three foot broad, and
about the same depth, provided your mould hold it; beginning first to
turn the turf, upon which, be careful to lay some of the best earth to
bed your quick in, and there lay, or set the plants; two in a foot space
is sufficient; being diligent to procure such as are fresh gathered,
streight, smooth, and well rooted; adding now and then, at equal spaces
of twenty or thirty foot, a young oakling or elm-sucker, ash, or the
like, which will come in time (especially in plain countries) to be
ornamental standards, and good timber: If you will needs multiply your
rowes, a foot or somewhat less: Above that, upon more congested mould,
plant another rank of sets, so as to point just in the middle of the
vacuities of the first, which I conceive enough: This is but for the
single foss; but if you would fortifie it to the purpose, do as much on
the other side, of the same depth, height, and planting; and then last
of all, cap the top in _pyramis_ with the worst, or bottom of the ditch:
Some, if the mould be good, plant a row or two on the edge, or very
crest of the mound, which ought to be a little flatned: Here also may
they set their dry-hedges, for hedges must be hedg'd till they are able
to defend and shade their under-plantation, and I cannot reprove it: But
great care is to be had in this work, that the main bank be well
footed, and not made with too sudden a declivity, which is subject to
fall-in after frosts and wet weather; and this is good husbandry for
moist grounds; but where the land lies high, and is hot and gravelly, I
prefer the lower fencing; which, though even with the area it self, may
be protected with stakes and a dry hedge, on the fosse side, the
distance competent, and to very good purposes of educating more frequent
timber amongst the rows.

7. Your hedge being yet young, should be constantly weeded two or three
years, especially before Midsummer (of brambles especially, the great
dock, and thistle, &c.) though some admit not of this work till after
Michaelmas, for reasons that I approve not: