_Of Plashing of Hedges, and Lopping of Timber._
[Sidenote: What plashing is.]
Hauing alreadie sufficiently in the former Chapter spoken of the
planting of all sorts of quick-sets, it is méete now that I shew you
how to order the hedges being growne and come to perfection. Know then
that if after your hedge is come to sixe or seauen yéeres of age, you
shall let it grow on without cutting or pruning, that then although it
grow thicke at the top, yet it will decay and grow so thinne at the
bottome, that not onely beasts but men may runne through it, and in
the end it will dye and come to nothing, which to preuent, it shall
be good once in seauen or eight yéeres to plash and lay all your
Quick-set hedges, in which there is much fine Art and cunning to be
vsed. For this plashing is a halfe cutting or deuiding of the quicke
growth, almost to the outward barke, and then laying it orderly in a
sloape manner, as you sée a cunning hedger lay a dead hedge, and then
with the smaller and more plyant branches, to wreathe and binde in
the tops, making a fence as strong as a wall, for the roote which is
more then halfe cut in sunder, putting forth new branches, which runne
and entangle themselues amongst the olde stockes, doe so thicken and
fortifie the hedge, that it is against the force of beasts impregnable.
[Sidenote: How to plash:]
[Sidenote: The time of yeare.]
Now to giue you some light how you shall plash a hedge, though diuers
Countries differ diuersly in these workes, yet as néere as I can I will
shew you that which of the best Husbandmen is the best estéemed. First,
for the time of yéere either February or October, is passing good, and
the encrease of the Moone would likewise be obserued.
[Sidenote: The Tooles.]
For the tooles which you shall imploy, they would be a very sharpe
nimble Hatchet, a good Bill, and a fine pruning knife. Now for the
worke you shall enter into it, first with your Bill you shall cut
away all the superfluous boughes and branches which are of no vse, or
hinder your worke, and then finding the principall stemmes which issue
from the maine roote, you shall within a foote or lesse of the ground
with your Hatchet, cut the same more then thrée quarters through, so
as they may hang together by nothing but the outward barke, and some
part of the outward sap, and this stroke must euer be sloape-wise and
downeward: then take those mayne bodies of the quick-set, so cut, and
lay them sloape-wise from you, as you would lay a dead hedge, and
all the branches which extend from those bodies, and would spread
outwardly, you shall likewise cut as before said, and fould them
artificially into your head, and euer within a yard or two distance,
where a pretie Plant growes straight vp, you shall onely cut off the
top equall with the height of your hedge, and so let it stand as a
stake, about which you shall folde and twind all your other branches.
Now when you come to the top of the hedge, which would commonly not be
aboue fiue foote high, you shall take the longest, youngest, and most
plyant boughes, and cutting them as afore-said, gently binde in the
tops of all the rest, and so make your hedge strong and perfect: and
herein is to be noted, that the closer and thicker you lay your hedge
(so there be nothing in it superfluous) the stronger and better lasting
it will be. Many vse not to binde in the tops of their plasht hedges,
but onely to lay the Quick-set and no more: but it is not so husbandly,
neither is the hedge of any indurance: many other curiosities there be
in the plashing of hedges, but this which I haue alreadie shewed, is
sufficient both for the Husbandmans benefit and vnderstanding.
[Sidenote: The profit of Plashing.]
The profit which ariseth from this labour, is the maintenance and
defence of fencing, the preseruing and encrease of Quick-set, and a
continuance of amitie amongst neighbours, when one liues frée from
offending another. It yéeldeth a good Mast for Swine, and with the
ouer-plus thereof at these times of plashings, repaireth all a mans
dead hedges, and brings good store of fewell both to the Brewhouse,
Kitchin, and Backhouse.
[Sidenote: The lopping of Timber.]
Next to the plashing, is the lopping of Timber-Trées, which in those
Countries which are bare and naked of wood, is of much vse, and though
I cannot much commend it, because it oft marreth the bodies of Trées,
yet I must allow it for necessary, because it is a néedfull rate, which
the Trées pay to their Planters.
[Sidenote: What Lopping is.]
[Sidenote: The season for Lopping.]
This lopping or heading of Trées, is the cutting off of the armes and
vppermost branches of Trées, and suffering the body to grow still, and
it may very well be done once in eight or tenne yéeres, either at the
beginning of the Spring, or at the end of the Fall, as you shall haue
occasion to vse the wood, and immediately after the Moone hath new
changed.
[Sidenote: How you shall lop Timber.]
Now for the manner of the worke, there is small curiositie to be vsed
therein, if your Axe be good and sharpe, for you shall but cut off the
armes and boughes, smooth and cleane without nickes, rifts, or gutters,
or any thing which may receiue wet, whereby the Trée may be cankred
and spoyled. Also in cutting away of the armes, you shall haue a great
care rather to cut them away (if it be possible) vpward then downeward,
least when you cut them downeward, the waight of the arme sodainly
falling downe, riue and teare the barke of the body of the Trée, which
is dangerous, and hath béene the spoyle of much Timber: which to
preuent, you shall euer before you strike any blowe aboue, make a good
large nicke vnderneath, and then after cut it downe from aboue, and so
the Trée shall receiue no hurt. Also you shall obserue to cut the armes
close by the body of the Trée, and neuer to desist till you haue made
the place as playne and smooth as may be, for to doe the contrarie,
is neyther workmanly, nor the part of any good husband. And thus much
touching the plashing of Hedges, and lopping of Trées.