1N SCOTLAND.

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Jast is then carried up fence height, being regularly backedup with earth as it proceeds, the best earth laid over thethorns and behind their roots, small holes being left in thedike for the thorns to grow through. The mound is com-pleted behind the face-dike, by the subsoil of the ditch,which in this case is usually made shallow, perhaps only twofeet deep, or a mere slope from the field deepest at the sideof the dike. This construction is an effectual fence from thebeginning; and thorns planted in this manner require noweeding, and very little care of any kind, except switchingor dressing the face of the hedge occasionally with a pruningknife. For a few years at first, the young thorns may be ef-fectually guarded on their own side, from sheep or cattle, byfilling the ditch or slope with cut old thorns. This com-pounded fence answers admirably for protecting young plan-tations, or along the sides of roads *.

Besides the expedients already mentioned, for the protec-tion of a young thorn-hedge, till strong enough to serve as afence; there is a practice in some parts of Scotland of sowinga row of the seed of whins, furze or gorse, along the top ofthe mound or clap-dike. With proper care, this becomesin a few years an excellent guard and shelter to the youngthorn-hedge. Great care ought, however, to be taken inthis case, to prune or switch the whin-hedge regularly, thatit may never be allowed to run up to seed, which would scat-ter and grow among the thorns, to their great and irrepara-ble injury.

In whatever way a thorn-hedge is planted or protected, itis indispensably necessary to attend to the young thorn plantsin the progress of their growth. Early in the first springafter they are planted, it is proper that a labourer should goalong the whole line with a spade, to remove any earth that

Berwickshire Report.