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114 ANNUAL REGISTER For the YEAR 1772. 
the frosts, and take easily, and shoot vigorously; and in the ensuing summer the earth, especially if clayey, will be preserved from baking by sun and wind, and moisture will be preserved. The progress of the plants in the first year will amaze the planter.
   Good weeding in the first spring, or rather summer, is essential to the success of the plants; and, if the summer be droughty, a line of fresh litter will cost a trifle in expence, and effectually prevent the drought's hurting the roots; or, if it be very violent, one watering, but a plentiful one, with a watering-pan, will preserve the roots from any damage, and the litter will preserve the moisture from being exhaled by the sun.
   It is a common mistake that young quicks should be long preserved from sun and wind. If they be preserved, as above directed, the first summer, they will be so far from wanting shelter any longer, that the more they are exposed to air, that is wind, (except on bleak heights) the better.
   The time of shortening the stem, by cutting down the quicks, as it is called, must be determined by circumstances, chiefly the quick growth of them. Most people perform that operation after the second year; but I am inclined to think this too early a period; especially if the quicksets be small. To cut down the main upright stem before it has gained a good size, in order to make it shoot laterally, is counteracting nature, and the design of planting a quick-hedge. This point ought to be determined by experiments.
   I advise no young trees of any sort to be set in the line of quick-wood. The quicks are apt to smother them, and they, when grown up, ruin the fence. If a planter will have trees near his hedges, let them be set 10 or 12 feet high, and at several feet distance from the quicks, and well fenced off. The roots of trees when strong destroy the quick-wood; and, when themselves are felled, they commonly destroy the fence in which they stand, and irreparably.
   As I advise not to plant nay trees in the line of wood, so neither can I advise to plant hasels there; these make not a fence comparable to that of white-thorns, and tempt boy to break it down in order to get the nuts. The wych, which is so common in some countries, makes a bad fence, and, instead of being encouraged in new plantations, should rather be extirpated from the old.
   On the whole, it is much to be wished, that the honourable Society for Arts, &c. would offer a premium for experiments of setting of white-thorns of different thickness in the stem, at different distances in the same row, of single and double rows, and at different times of planting, also on different soils; so that the best method of this important work might be determined by fact.
   I declare freely against all kinds of trees in hedge-rows, as they greatly contribute to break the strength of the fence by affording places for trespassers to climb at; as they shade crops of corn, and lodge birds of prey; as their roots are pernicious to those of the thorns in the hedge; and as they are incommodious to the plough.
   I advise much rather to plant trees of whatever sort the proprietor chuses, in a corner of his field or of his state, and in proportion to the natural wants of the field or estate. Wood is so necessary to every possession of land, that the latter must be very imperfect without it. Many a land-owner is ignorant how valuable his wood-land is, and how much real rent it brings him in, if properly managed, although it may only supply the natural wants of the farmers, and he receive not one penny directly as rent from it. My parishes afford [[footnote 1]] a strong proof of this important truth. In one of them, the smallest farmers have sufficient wood for fencing of all kinds; and, in the other, the greatest farmers are obliged to buy all they want. In this latter parish, one farmer expends this very year 6l. for wood for fencing, and is obliged to lead it for some miles, probably; which may amount to a sum of equal value, when the season in which he leads it is considered. Let a landlord consider also what he saves by wood for repairs, and he may easily see this truth in its full light. A landlord who has no resource may be necessitated to permit his hedge-row trees to become pollards, in order to supply his tenants with stakes; but he who has a wood will, in common prudence, restrain his farmers from defacing these beautiful parts of the creation, finely branching trees.

Secret of recovering the Writing upon Parchments decayed by Time, and of making it legible.

DIP the parchment obliterated by time into a vessel of cold water, fresh drawn from the well: in about a minute take it out, and press it between two papers; to prevent its cumpling up in drying. As soon as it is moderately dry, if it be not then legible repeat the operation two or three times. The skin will then resume its pristine colour, and will appear all alike. 

[[footnote 1]] Mr. Comber is Rector of Buckworth and Morborne, Hants. [[/footnote 1]]

ANTIQUITES

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