ing cut as the former, where need requires)
bind-in the extremities of all the rest, and thus your work is finished:
This being done very close and thick, makes an impregnable hedge, in few
years; for it may be repeated as you see occasion; and what you so
cut-away, will help to make your dry-hedges for your young plantations,
or be profitable for the oven, and make good bavin. Namely, the
extravagant side branches springing the more upright, 'till the newly
wounded are healed. There are some yet who would have no stakes cut from
the trees, save here and there one; so as to leave half the head naked,
and the other standing; since the over-hanging bows will kill what is
under them, and ruin the tree; so pernicious is this half-toping: But
let this be a total amputation for a new and lusty spring: There is
nothing more prejudicial to subnascent young trees, than when newly
trim'd and prun'd, to have their (as yet raw) wounds poyson'd with
continual dripping; as is well observed by Mr. Nourse: But this is meant
of repairing decay'd hedges. For stakes in this work, oak is to be
preferr'd, tho' some will use elder, but it is not good; or the
blackthorn, crab-tree, in moorish ground withy, ash, maple, hasel, not
lasting, (which some make hedges of; but it being apt to the browsing
of cattle, when the young shoots appeared, it does better in copp'ces)
the rest not lasting, should yet be driven well in at every yard of
interval both before, and after they are bound, till they have taken the
hard earth, and are very fast; and even your plash'd-hedges, need some
small thorns to be laid over, to protect the spring from cattle and
sheep, 'till they are somewhat fortified; and the doubler the winding is
lodg'd, the better; which should be beaten, and forced down together
with the stakes, as equally as may be. Note, that in sloping your
windings, if it be too low done (as very usually) it frequently
mortifies the tops, therefore it ought to be so bent, as it may not
impede the mounting of the sap: If the plash be of a great, and
extraordinary age, wind it at the neather boughs all together, and
cutting the sets as directed, permit it rather to hang downwards a
little, than rise too forwards; and then twist the branches into the
work, leaving a set free, and unconstrain'd at every yard space, besides
such as will serve for stakes, abated to about five foot length (which
is a competent stature for an hedge) and so let it stand. One shall