6 OF ANCLOSURES

procured at a moderate price, a dike built of thefe materials will, it is true, be little lefs durable than‘a hedge; although, in ceneral, it will neither be fo cheap nor agreeable. But dry ftone dikes, unlefs built of the fineft quarried ftone, are of fuch a perifhable nature, as to be{carce ever worth the expence of rearing; unlefs the field that you would with to inclofe has plenty of ftones upon itfelf, which mutt be carried off from its furface before the field can be improved. In fuch a fituation, a man may in fome meafure be extufed if he fhould be tempted to put the ftones into dikes; becaufe the carriage of thefe materials may be faid to coft him nothing, and he might perhaps be at a lofs how to difpofe of them in any other manner. But in all other circumftances, {apprehend it is very bad economy to rear fences of this kind, as fea/*-dikes can always

* Feal‘is a provincial word, which may perhaps have many fynonyma. It here means any kind of fod dug by the fpade from the furface of grafs-ground, confifting of the upper mold rendered tough and co-

herent ee i en a si See oe: oe s x si accented——_—— ES Se eT Ae

ee