Chap.VI.
Of Plashing of Hedges, and Lopping of Timber.
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 toperfection. 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.
How to plash.
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.The time of yeare.First, for the time of yéere either February or October, is passing good, and the encrease of the Moone would likewise be obserued.
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 anddowneward: 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.
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.
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.
What Lopping is.
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,The season for Lopping.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.
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.