924 On Raîsing Live Fences.[Oct,

to vegetation, al a proper season in the spring, a quantity of dead-earth is pared up from the bottom of the ditch, and worked and chopped about, until it is in the state of puddle, (before described). The tops of the quicks are cut of, nearly even with the ground, after which, a labourer carefully plas- ters every part of the face of the bank, with this prepared or puddle-like stuff; and after it is laid on, having a pail-full of water at hand, to wet his spade in if necessary, he works this plaster about, giving the flat surface of his spade, exactly the circular and plastering motions that plasterers use when at work on a ceiling or wall. If it should appear, that frosts have mouldered down, or injured the facing of Lhe bank, the same is carefully repaired and worked again, as above, before the season for the vegetation of the quicks.

«“ As s001 as the white-thorns have put forth their leaves in the spring, a careful labourer walks along the ditch, with a knife in his hand, and wherever a plant is missing, from among those which have shot forth, be digs in the point of his knife with care, to find and release the top of the set, which otherwise might be smothered and confined by the plastering of the bank. The benefit of this procedure 1s inconceivably great, in almost totally preventing the growth of weeds, and in confining the moisture in the vegetable mould, from es- caping in dry seasons.

«“ At a time in the summer, when every part of the surface was covered with vegetation, we have with pleasure examined some miles in length of guicks treated in this manner, and although the quicks had made the finest shoots which could be imagined, not a vestige of vegetation of any kind besides, was to be found on the bank; and thus, with proper care in renewing the plastering or working of the bank, many of them remain,unuil the quick is grown up to be a fence; and it is almost literally true, that weeding is here unnecessary, al- though no soil can be more congenial to, or worse stored with the seeds of annual weeds, than some of those were, of which we have been speaking. 4

“‘The ditches are made deep, and the síides of them as stéep as the soil will stand, in the general, s0 that dead or guard-fences are generally omitted on that side; and s0 they are often on thè other, or back síide, and a prick-hedge 18s substituted, which, with care, and the letting of sheep only loose in such fields, answers the purpose very well.

«“ Some time before the bank is made up to the intended height, the labourer goes along upon the top of it, sbovels off the loose top, and treads down the top of the bank s0 as to form a flat of perhaps twelve or fourteen inches wide; into the centre of tbis he strikes in his spade, and gives the same