386 ROMNEY MARSH.

The great thing to be desired, and almost the only one wanted, is SHELTER 3 and this may be had, with certainty, and without excessive cost.

Ordinary hedges, planted at or near the surface, would be found, probably have been found, impracticable to be raised, between grounds that are continually pastured with sheep, which have no other shrubs to gra- tify their appetites.

But, by: MOUND HEDGEs, such as are in common use, in DevoNsHiRE and CorN- WALL, an immediate shelter might be ob- tained; and the shrubs planted upon them, to increase the shelter, and to bind the mounds together, as well as to raise cop- pice wood, would be placed out of the reach of sheep.

How so great and obvious an improve- ment should so long have been overlooked may be a matter of surprise. Yet had I not previously examined the fences of De- yonshire and Cornwall, this mean of im- provement, evident as it may seem, might not have occurred. So requisite it is, that, to point out the means of improving any particular district, a general knowledge, of