hedges with oaklings, ash, and
fruit-trees, sown or planted, and 'tis a laudable improvement; though
others do rather recommend to us sets of all one sort, and will not so
much as admit of the black-thorn to be mingled with the white, because
of their unequal progress; and indeed, timber-trees set in the hedge
(though contemporaries with it) do frequently wear it out; and therefore
I should rather encourage such plantations to be at some yards distance,
near the verges, than perpendicularly in them. Lastly, if in planting
any the most robust forest-trees, (especially oak, elm, chesnut) at
competent spaces, and in rows; you open a ring of ground, at about four
foot distance from the stem, and prick in quick-set plants; you may
after a while, keep them clipp'd, at what height you please: They will
appear exceedingly beautiful to the eye, prove a good fence, and yield
useful bush, bavin, and (if you maintain them unshorn) hips and haws in
abundance: This would therefore especially be practis'd, where one would
invite the birds.

14. In Cornwal they secure their lands and woods, with high mounds, and
on them they plant acorns, whose roots bind in the looser mould, and so
form a coronet of trees. They do likewise (and that with great
commendation) make hedges of our _genista spinosa_, prickly furzes, of
which they have a taller sort, such as the French imploy for the same
purpose in Bretaigne, where they are incomparable husbands.

15. It is to be sown (which is best) or planted of the roots in a
furrow: If sown, weeded till it be strong; both tonsile, and to be
diligently clip'd, which will render it very thick, an excellent and
beautiful hedge: Otherwise, permitted to grow at large, 'twill yield
very good faggot: It is likewise admirable covert for wildfowl, and will
be made to grow even in moist, as well as dry places: The young and
tender tops of furzes, being a little bruis'd and given to a lean sickly
horse, will strangely recover and plump him. Thus, in some places, they
sow in barren grounds (when they lay them down) the last crop with this
seed, and so let them remain till they break them up again, and during
that interim, reap considerable advantage: Would you believe (writes a
worthy correspondent of mine) that in Herefordshire (famous for plenty
of wood) their thickets of furzes (_viz._ the vulgar) should yield them
more profit than a like quantity of the best wheat-land of England? for
such is theirs: If this