It is then from the Reverend Mr. Walker of Great-Billing near Northampton, that (with several other particulars relating to our rural subject) I likewise receive from that worthy gentleman Tho. Franklin of Ecton, Esq; the following method of planting, and fencing with quick-sets; which we give you in his own words.
10. About 10 or 12 years since, I made some essays to set some little clumps of hedges and trees, of about two pole in breadth, and three in length: The out-fences ditch’d on the outside, but the quick-sets in the inside of the bank, that the dead-hedges might stand on the outside thereof; so that a small hedge of 18 or 20 inches high, made of small wood, the stakes not much bigger than a man’s thumb, which (the banks being high) sufficiently defended them for four years time, and were hedg’d with less than one load of shreadings of willow-sets, which, (as my workmen told me) would have requir’d 6 load of copp’ce-wood: But the next year after their being planted, finding wast ground on the top of the bank of the outer fence, between the dead-hedge and the quick, I put a foot-set in the same space between the quick and the dead-hedge, which prosper’d better than those planted in the side of the bank, after the vulgar way, and hold it still. This put me upon thinking, that a set cheaper and better of quick-fence, might possibly be found out; and accordingly I made some tryals, with good success, (at least better than the old way) tho’ not to my full satisfaction, till I had perus’d Mr. Evelyn’s Silva, &c. The method I us’d, was this: First I set out the ground for ditches and quick, in breadth ten foot; then subdivided that by marking out 2 foot ½ on each side (more or less, at pleasure) for the ditches, leaving 5 in the middle between them: Then digging up two foot in the midst of that 5 foot, plant the sets in; tho’ it require more labour and charge, I found it soon repay’d the cost. This done, I began to dig the fosses, and to set up one row of turfs on the outside of the said five foot; namely, one row on each side thereof, the green side outmost, a little reclining, so as the grass might grow: After this, returning to the place begun at, I ordered one of the men to dig a spit of the under-turfmould, and lay it between the turfs, plac’d edge-wise, as before describ’d, upon the 2 foot which was purposely dug in the middle, and prepar’d for the sets, which the planter sets with two quicks upon the surface of the earth, almost upright, whilst another workman lays the mould forward, about 12 inches, and then sets two more, and so continues. Some there are who plant three rows of sets about 8 inches interval; but I do not approve it; for they choak one another. This finished, I order another row of turfs to be plac’d on each side upon the top of the former, and fill the vacuity between the sets and the turfs, as high as their tops, always leaving the middle where the sets are planted, hollow, and somewhat lower than the sides of the banks, by 8 or 10 inches, that the rain may descend to their roots, which is of great advantage to their growth, and far better than by the old way; where the banks too much sloping, the roots of the sets are seldom wetted in an ordinary season, the Summer following; but which if it prove dry, many of the sets perish, especially the late planted: Whereas those which I planted in the latter end of April, tho’ the Summer hapned to be somewhat dry, generally scap’d, very few of them miscarrying. Now the planting thus advanc’d, the next care is fencing; by setting an hedge of about 20 inches high upon the top of the bank, on each side thereof, leaning a little outward from the sets, which will protect them as well (if not better) than a hedge of 3 foot, or four inches more, standing upon the surface of the ground, which being rais’d with the turfs and sods about 20 inches, and the hedge about 20 inches more, will make 3 foot 4 inches; so as no cattle can approach the dead-hedge to prejudice it, unless they set their feet in the ditch it self; which will be at least a foot deep, and from the bottom of the fosse to the top of the hedge, about 4 foot and ½, which they can hardly reach over to crop the quick, as they might in the old way; and besides, such an hedge will endure a year longer. I have at this present, an hedge which has stood these 5 years; and tho’ 9 or 10 foot be sufficient for both ditches and bank, yet where the ground is but indifferent, ’tis better husbandry to take 12 foot, which will allow of a bank at least 6 foot broad, and gives more scope to place the dead hedges farther from the sets; and the ditches being shallow, will in two years time, graze; tho’ I confine my self for the most part to 9 or 10; because I would take off the only objection of wasting ground by this way, should others follow it. In reply to this, I affirm, that if you take 12 foot in breadth, for ditch and bank, you wast more ground, than by the common way: For in that a quick is rarely set, but there is 9 foot between the dead hedges, which is entirely lost all the time of fencing: When as with double ditches, there remains at least 18 inches on each side where the turfs were set on edge, that bear more grass than when it lay on the flat. ......... But admitting it did totally lay wast 3 foot of ground, the damage were very inconsiderable, since forty pearch, in lengh 220 yards, which makes pearches, 7, 25″, 9′, or 7 pole ¼, which at 13 shil. 4 pence the acre, amounts not to 7d. ½ per ann. Now that this is not only the best and cheapest way of quick-setting, will appear by comparing the charge of both: In the usual way, the charge of a 3 foot ditch is 4d. per pole, the owner providing sets; if the workman finds them, he will have for making the said ditch, and setting them, 8d. the pole, and for hedging, two pence; that is, for both sides 4d. the pole, which renders the charge of hedging, ditching, and sets, 12d. the pole; that is, for forty rod in length, forty shillings: Then one load of wood out of the copp’ce costs us, with the carriage, (tho’ but two or 3 miles distance) ten shillings; which will seldom hedge above 8 pole (single hedge.) But allowing it to do ten, to fence 40 pole, there must be at least 8 load of wood, which costs 4l. making the whole expence for ditching, setting, and fencing of 40 pole, to be 6l. reck’ning with the least; for I know not any that will undertake to do it under 3s. 6d. per pole, and then the 40 pole costs 7l. Whereas, with double ditches, both of them, setting and sets, will be done for 8d. per pole, and the husbandman get as good wages, as with a single ditch, (for tho’ the labour about them is more, yet the making the table is saved) which costs 1l. 6s. 8d. And the hedges being but low, they’ll make better wages at hedging for a penny the pole, than at two pence for common hedges; which comes to 6s. 8d. for hedging forty pole on both sides: Thus one load of wood, will fence 30 pole at least, and 40 hedg’d with ⅔ of wood less, than in the other way, and cost but 1l. 6s. 8d. which makes the whole charge of sets, ditching, fencing, and wood, but three pounds.
l. s. d.
01 06 08
00 06 08
01 06 08
03 00 00
Hitherto this obliging and industrious gentleman.
11. To other uses: The Root of an old thorn is excellent both for boxes and combs, and is curiously and naturally wrought: I have read, that they made ribs to some small boats or vessels with the white-thorn, and it is certain, that if they would plant them single, and in standards, where they might be safe, they would rise into large body’d trees in time, and be of excellent use for the turner, not inferior to box, and accounted among the fortunate trees, and therefore us’d in fasces nuptiarum, since the jolly shepherds carryed the white-thorn at the rapine of the Sabines; and ever since counted[192:1] propitious.
The distill’d water, and stone, or kernels of the haw reduc’d to powder, is generally agreed to be sovereign against the stone. The black-crab rightly season’d and treated, is famous for walking-staves, and if over-grown, us’d in mill-work; yea, and for rafters of great ships. Here we owe due eulogy to the industry of the late Lord Shaftsbury, who has taught us to make such enclosures of crab-stocks only, (planted close to one another) as there is nothing more impregnable and becoming; or you may sow cyder-kernels in a rill, and fence it for a while, with a double dry hedge, not only for a sudden and beautiful, but a very profitable inclosure; because, amongst other benefits, they will yield you cyderfruit in abundance: But in Devonshire, they build two walls with their stones, setting them edge-ways, two, and then one between; and so as it rises, fill the interval, or cofer with earth (the breadth and height as you please) and continuing the stone-work, and filling, and as you work, beating in the stones flat to the sides, they are made to stick everlastingly: This is absolutely the neatest, most saving, and profitable fencing imaginable, where slaty stones are in any abundance; and it becomes not only the most secure to the lands, but the best for cattle, to lye warm under the walls; whilst other hedges, (be they never so thick) admit of some cold winds in Winter-time when the leaves are off. Upon these banks they plant not only quick-sets, but even timber-trees, which exceedingly thrive, being out of all danger.
12. The pyracantha paliurus, and like preciouser sorts of thorn and robust evergreens, adorn’d with caralin-berries, might easily be propagated by seeds, layers, or cutting, into plenty sufficient to store even these vulgar uses, were men industrious; and then, how beautiful and sweet would the environs of our fields be! for there are none of the spinous shrubs more hardy, none that make a more glorious shew, nor fitter for our defence, competently arm’d; especially the rhannus, which I therefore joyn to the oxyacantha, for its terrible and almost irresistible spines, able almost to pierce a coat of mail; and for this made use of by the malicious Jews, to crown the sacred tempels of our Blessed Saviour, and is yet preferred among the most venerable reliques in St. Chapel at Paris, as is pretended, by the devotees, &c. and hence has the tree (for it sometimes exceeds a shrub) the name of Christ’s Thorn. Thus might berberies now and then be also inserted among our hedges, which, with the hips, haws, and cornel-berries, do well in light lands, and would rather be planted to the South, than North or West, as usually we observe them.
13. Some (as we noted) mingle their very 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 be question’d, the scene is within a mile of Hereford, and proved by anniversary experience, in the lands, as I take it, of a gentleman who is now one of the burgesses for that city. And in Devonshire (the seat of the best husbands in the world) they sow on their worst land (well plow’d) the seeds of the rankest furzes, which in four or five years becomes a rich wood: No provender (as we say) makes horses so hardy as the young tops of these furzes; no other wood so thick, nor more excellent fuel; and for some purposes also, yielding them a kind of timber to their more humble buildings, and a great refuge for fowl and other game: I am assur’d, in Bretaigne ’tis sometimes sown no less than twelve yards thick, for a speedy, profitable, and impenetrable mound: If we imitated this husbandry in the dry and hot barren places of Surrey, and other parts of this nation, we might exceedingly spare our woods; and I have bought the best sort of French-seed at the shops in London. It seems that in the more eastern parts of Germany, and especially in Poland, this vulgar trifle, and even our common Broom is so rare, that they have desired the seeds of them out of England, and preserve them with extraordinary care in their best gardens; this I learn out of our Johnson’s Herbal; by which we may consider, that what is reputed a curse, and a cumber in some places, is esteem’d the ornament and blessing of another: But we shall not need go so far for this, since both beech and birch are almost as great strangers in many parts of this nation, particularly Northampton and Oxfordshire. Mr. Cook is much in praise of juniper for hedges, especially for the more elegant inclosures, and we daily see how it’s improved of late.