The two prevailing fences in the district in question are the hawthorn hedge and the stone wall; both the very worst that could be employed in a park or pleasure-ground, as presenting all the opposite qualities to those which are desirable in a temporary fence. The thorn hedge, when left to itself, grows too large, and when carefully clipped, as it most commonly is, it exhibits an appearance of care and labour not in accordance with the idea of temporary purpose. Bad as the stone wall is, it is, however, when built of loose stones, without mortar, not so offensive as the clipped hedge; because it is neither so large, nor so lumpish in form, nor so monotonous in colour. Still, both these fences are utterly inadmissible, in our opinion, as temporary enclosures in a park; nor can there be any occasion to resort to them, now that the thinnings of plantations may be had all over the west of Scotland at a very low price. These thinnings, or small fir trees, cut in lengths of 5 or 6 ft., inserted in the ground with their bark on, and connected together by a rail, also with the bark on, within a foot or 18 in. of the top, form one of the cheapest and best temporary barriers, and one which can only be surpassed by hurdles, or by a light iron fence.
