Ivy, in botany: A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the pentandria class of plants; and in the natural method giving name to the 46th order, Hederaeae. There are five oblong petals; the berry is pentaspermous, girt by the calyx.

Species. 1. The helix, or common ivy, grows naturally in many parts of Britain; and, where it meets with any support, will rise to a great height, sending out roots on every side, which strike into the joints of walls or the bark of trees. If there is no support, they trail on the ground, and take root all their length, so that they closely cover the surface, and are difficult to eradicate. and in autumn to be well manured with dung or lime, or both (for it cannot be made too rich), and be neatly formed into a ridge before winter.

Having prepared the ground in this manner, it will be in readiness to receive the hedge, which ought to be planted as early in winter as can be got conveniently done; as the willow is much hurt by being planted late in the spring. But before you begin to make a fence of this kind, it will be necessary to provide a sufficient number of plants; which will be best done by previously rearing them in a nursery of your own, as near the field to be inclosed as you can conveniently have it; for as they are very bulky, the carriage of them would be troublesome if they were brought from any considerable distance. The best kinds of willow for this use, are such as make the longest and strongest shoots, and are not of a brittle nature. All the large kinds of hoop-willows may be employed for this use; but there is another kind with stronger and more taper shoots, covered with a dark green bark when young, which, upon the older shoots, becomes of an ash-gray, of a firm texture, and a little rough to the touch. The leaves are not so long, and a great deal broader than those of the common hoop-willow, pretty thick, and of a dark-green colour. What name this species is usually known by, I cannot tell; but as it becomes very quickly of a large size at the root, and is strong and firm, it ought to be made choice of for this purpose in preference to all other kinds that I have seen. The shoots ought to be of two or three years growth before they can be properly used, and should never be less than eight or nine feet in length. These ought to be cut over close by the ground immediately before planting, and carried to the field at their whole length. The planter having stretched a line along the middle of the ridge which was prepared for their reception, begins at one end thereof, thrusting a row of these plants firmly into the ground, close by the side of the line, at the distance of 18 or 20 inches from one another; making them all slant a little to one side in a direction parallel to the line. This being finished, let him begin at the opposite end of the line, and plant another row in the intervals between the plants of the former row; making these incline as much as the others, but in a direction exactly contrary; and then, plaiting these basket-ways, work them into lozenges like a net, fastening the tops by plaiting the small twigs with one another, which with very little trouble may be made to bind together very firmly. The whole, when finished, assumes a very beautiful net-like appearance, and is even at first a tolerable good defence; and, as these plants immediately take root and quickly increase in size, it becomes, after a few years, a very strong fence which nothing can penetrate. This kind of hedge I myself have employed; and find that a man may plant and twist properly about a hundred yards in a day, if the plants be laid down to his hand; and, in a situation such as I have described, I know no kind of fence which could be reared at such a small expense, so quickly become a defence, and continue so long in good order. But it will be greatly improved by putting a plant of eglantine between each two plants of willow, which will quickly climb up and be supported by them; and, by its numerous prickles would effectually preserve the defenceless willow from being browsed upon by cattle.

As it will be necessary to keep the narrow ridge, upon which the hedge is planted, in culture for one year at least, that the plants of eglantine may not be choked by weeds, and that the roots of the willow may be allowed to spread with the greater ease in the tender mould produced by this means, it will be proper to stir the earth once or twice by a gentle horse-hoe in the beginning of summer; and, in the month of June, it may be sowed with turnips, or planted with celeriacs, which will abundantly repay the expense of the fallow.

The same author also gives the following useful directions for planting hedges in situations very much exposed to the weather, and recovering them when on the point of decaying. Those who live in an open uncultivated country, have many difficulties to encounter, which others who inhabit more warm and sheltered regions never experience; and, among these difficulties, may be reckoned that of hardly getting hedges to grow with facility. For, where a young hedge is much exposed to violent and continued gusts of wind, no art will ever make it rise with so much freedom, or grow with such luxuriance, as it would do in a more sheltered situation and favourable exposure.

But although it is impossible to rear hedges in this situation to so much perfection as in the others, yet they may be reared even there, with a little attention and pains, so as to become very fine fences.

It is advisable in all cases, to plant the hedges upon the face of a bank; but it becomes absolutely necessary in such an exposed situation as that I have now described: for the bank, by breaking the force of the wind, screens the young hedge from the violence of the blast, and allows it to advance, for some time at first, with much greater luxuriance than it otherwise could have done.

But as it may be expected soon to grow as high as the bank, it behoves the provident husbandman to prepare for that event, and guard, with a wise foresight, against the inconvenience that may be expected to arise from that circumstance.

With this view, it will be proper for him, instead of making a single ditch, and planting one hedge, to raise a pretty high bank, with a ditch on each side of it, and a hedge on each face of the bank; in which situation, the bank will equally shelter each of the two hedges while they are lower than it; and, when they at length become as high as the bank, the one hedge will in a manner afford shelter to the other, so as to enable them to advance with much greater luxuriance than either of them would have done singly.

To effectuate this still more perfectly, let a row of service-trees be planted along the top of the bank, at the distance of 18 inches from each other, with a plant of eglantine between each two services. This plant will advance, in some degree, even in this exposed situation; and by its numerous shoots, covered with large leaves, will effectually screen the hedge on each side of it, which, in its turn, will receive some support and shelter from them; so that they will be enabled to advance all together, and form, in time, a close, strong, and beautiful fence.

The service is a tree but little known in Scotland; although although it is one of those that ought perhaps to be often cultivated there in preference to any other tree whatever, as it is more hardy, and, in an exposed situation, affords more shelter to other plants than almost any other tree I know: for it sends out a great many strong branches from the under part of the stem, which, in time, assume an upright direction, and continue to advance with vigour, and carry many leaves to the very bottom, almost as long as the tree exists; so that if it is not pruned, it rises a large close bush, till it attains the height of a forest tree.

"It is of the same genus with the rawn-tree—and has a great resemblance to it both in flower and fruit; its branches are more waving and plaint—its leaves undivided, broad and round, somewhat resembling the elm, but white and mealy on the under side. It deserves to be better known than it is at present.

"But if, from the poorness of the soil in which your hedge is planted, or from any other cause, it should so happen, that, after a few years, the hedge becomes sickly, and the plants turn poor and stinted in appearance, the easiest and only effectual remedy for that disease, is to cut the stems of the plants clean over, at the height of an inch or two above the ground; after which they will send forth much stronger shoots than they ever would have done without this operation. And if the hedge be kept free of weeds, and trained afterwards in the manner above described, it will, in almost every case, be recovered, and rendered fresh and vigorous.

"This amputation ought to be performed in autumn, or the beginning of winter; and in the spring, when the young buds begin to show themselves, the stumps ought to be examined with care, and all the buds be rubbed off, excepting one or two of the strongest and best placed, which should be left for a stem. For if the numerous buds that spring forth round the stem are allowed to spring up undisturbed, they will become in a few years as weak and stinted as before; and the hedge will never afterwards be able to attain any considerable height, strength, or healthfulness.—I have seen many hedges, that have been repeatedly cut over, totally ruined by this circumstance not having been attended to in proper time.

"If the ground for 16 or 20 feet on each side of the hedge be fallowed at the time that this operation is performed, and get a thorough dressing with rich manures, and be kept in high order for some years afterwards by good culture and meliorating crops, the hedge will prosper much better than if this had been omitted, especially if it has been planted on the level ground, or on the bank of a shallow ditch."

Mr Miller greatly recommends the black alder as superior to any other that can be employed in moist soils. It may either be propagated by layers or truncheons about three feet long. The best time for planting these last is in February or the month of March. They ought to be sharpened at their largest end, and the ground well loosed before they are thrust into it, lest the bark should be torn off, which might occasion their miscarriage. They should be set at least two feet deep, to prevent their being blown out of the ground by violent winds after they have made strong shoots; and they should be kept clear of tall weeds until they have got good heads, after which they will require no farther care. When raised by laying down the branches, it ought to be done in the month of October; and by that time twelve months they will have roots sufficient for transplantation, which must be done by digging a hole and loosening the earth in the place where the plant is to stand. The young fets must be planted at least a foot and an half deep; and their top should be cut off to within about nine inches of the ground; by which means they will shoot out many branches. This tree may be trained into very thick and close hedges, to the height of 20 feet and upwards. It will thrive exceedingly on the sides of brooks; for it grows best when part of its roots are in water; and may, if planted there, as is usual for willows, be cut for poles every fifth or sixth year. Its wood makes excellent pipes and staves; for it will last a long time underground or in water; and it is likewise in great estimation among ploughwrights, turners, &c. as well as for making several of the utensils necessary for agriculture. Its bark also dies a good black.

The birch is another tree recommended by Mr Miller as proper for hedges; and in places where the birch young plants can be easily procured, he says that the plantation of an acre will not cost 40 shillings, the after expense will not exceed 20 shillings: so that the whole will not come above three pounds. Ash-trees ought never to be permitted in hedges, both because they injure the corn and grass by their wide extended roots, and likewise on account of the property their leaves have of giving a rank taste to butter made from the milk of such cattle as feed upon the leaves. No ash-trees are permitted to grow in the good dairy-countries.

Where there are plenty of rough flat stones, the fences which bound an estate or farm are frequently raised on made with them. In Devonshire and Cornwall it is common to build as it were two walls with these stones laid upon one another; first two and then one between: as the walls rise they fill the intermediate space with earth, beat the stones in flat to the sides, which makes them lie very firm, and proceed till the whole is raised to the intended height. Quick hedges, and even large timber trees, are planted upon these walls, and thrive extremely well. Such inclosures are reckoned the best defence that can be had for the ground and cattle; though it can scarce be supposed but they must be disagreeable to the eye, and stand in need of frequent repairs by the stones being forced out of the way by cattle. The best way to prevent this is to build such wall in the bottom of a ditch made wide enough on purpose, and sloped down on each side. Thus the deformity will be hid; and as the cattle cannot stand to face the wall so as to attempt to leap over it, the stones of which it is composed will be less liable to be beaten down. The earth taken out of the ditch may be spread on the adjacent ground, and its sides planted with such trees or underwood as will best suit the soil. By leaving a space of several feet on the inside for timber, a supply of that valuable commodity may be had without doing any injury to the more valuable pasture.

The following is an excellent method of making a durable and beautiful fence in grassy places. Dig fence in pieces of turf four or five inches thick, the breadth of the grassy place. the spade, and about a foot in length. Lay these turfs even by a line on one side, with the grafts outward, at the distance of ten or twelve inches within the mark at which the ditch afterwards to be dug in the solid ground is to begin. Then lay, in the same manner, but with their grafts sides turned out the contrary way, another row of turf, at such a distance as to make a breadth of foundation proportioned to the intended height of the bank. Thus, even though the ground should prove defective, the bank would be prevented from giving way. A ditch may then be dug of what depth and breadth you please; or the ground may be lowered with a slope on each side; and in this case there will be no loss of pasture by the fence; because it may be sowed with hay-seeds, and will bear grafts on both sides. Part of the earth taken out of the ditches or slopes will fill the chasm between the rows of turf, and the rest may be scattered over the adjacent ground. Three, four, or more layers of turf, may be thus placed upon one another, and the interval between them filled up as before till the bank is brought to its desired height; only observing to give each side of it a gentle slope for greater strength. The top of this bank should be about two feet and a half wide, and the whole of it filled up with earth except a small hollow in the middle to retain some rain. Quicksets should then be planted along this top, and they will soon form an admirable hedge. By this means a bank four feet high, and a slope only two feet deep, will make, besides the hedge, a fence six feet high, through which no cattle will be able to force their way: for the roots of the grafts will bind the turf so together, that in one year's time it will become entirely solid; and it will yet be much stronger when the roots of the quick shall have shot out among it. The only precautions necessary to be observed in making this bank are, 1. Not to make it when the ground is too dry; because, if a great deal of wet should suddenly follow, it will swell the earth so much as perhaps to endanger the falling of some of the outside; which, however, is easily remedied if it should happen. 2. If the slope be such as sheep can climb up, secure the young quicks, at the time of planting them, by a small dead hedge, either on or near the top, on both sides. If any of the quicks should die, which they will hardly be more apt to do in this than in any other situation, unless perhaps in extremely dry seasons, they may be renewed by some of the methods already mentioned.—Such fences will answer even for a park; especially if we place posts and rails, about two feet high, a little sloping over the side of the bank, on or near its top: no deer can creep through this, nor even be able to jump over it. It is likewise one of the best fences for securing cattle; and if the quicks on the bank be kept clipped, it will form a kind of green wall pleasing to the eye.

In the first volume of the Bath Papers we find elms recommended for fences; and the following method of raising them for this purpose is said to be the best. When elm timber is felled in the spring, sow the chips made in trimming or hewing them green, on a piece of ground newly ploughed, as you would corn, and harrow them in. Every chip which has an eye, or bud-knot, or some bark on it, will immediately shoot like the cuttings of potatoes; and the plants thus raised having no tap-roots, but shooting their fibres horizontally in the richest part of the soil, will be more vigorous, and may be more safely and easily transplanted, than when raised from seeds, or in any other method. The plants thus raised for elm fences have greatly the advantage of others; as five, six, and sometimes more, stems will arise from the same chip; and such plants, if cut down within three inches of the ground, will multiply their side shoots in proportion, and make a hedge thicker, without running to naked wood, than by any other method yet practised. If kept clipped for three or four years, they will be almost impenetrable.

In the second volume of the same work, we meet Observations with several observations on quick-hedges by a gentleman near Bridgewater. He prefers the white and black quick-thorns to all other plants for this purpose; but is of opinion, that planting timber-trees in them at proper intervals is a very eligible and proper method. He raised some of his plants from haws in a nursery; others he drew up in the woods, or wherever they could be found. His banks were made flat, and three feet wide at the top, with a sloping side next the ditches, which last were dug only two feet below the surface, and one foot wide at bottom. The turfs were regularly laid, with the grafts downwards, on that side of the ditch on which the hedge was to be raised, and the best of the mould laid at top. The sets were straight, long, smooth, and even growing ones, planted as soon as possible after taking up. They were planted at a foot distance; and about every 40 feet young fruit-trees or those of other kinds, such as ash, oak, elm, beech, as the soil suited them. A second row of quicksets were then laid on another bed of fresh earth at the same time, and covered with good mould; after which the bank was finished and secured properly from injuries by a dead hedge well wrought together, and fastened by stakes of oak-trees on the top of the bank at three feet distance. Wherever any of the quicksets had failed or were of a dwindling appearance, he had them replaced with fresh ones from the nursery; as well as such of the young trees as had been planted on the top of the bank, and cleared the whole from weeds. Those most destructive to young hedges are the white and black bryony, bindweed, and the traveller's joy. The root of white bryony is as big as a man's leg, and runs very deep: that of black bryony often grows to 30 feet long, and with a kind of tendrils takes hold of the root of the young quick, and chokes it. This root must be dug very deep in order to destroy it. The third is still more destructive to young quicks than the other two, overshadowing the hedge like an arbour. Its root is smaller than that of the two former, but must be dug out very clean, as the least piece left will send up fresh shoots. It is very destructive to hedges to allow cattle to browse upon them, which they are very apt to do; but where cattle of some kind must be allowed access to them, horses will do by far the least mischief.

With regard to the advantage arising from hedges, our author observes, that "if they were of no farther use than as mere fences, it would be the farmer's interest to keep them up carefully; for the better they are, the more secure are his cattle and crops." But if a judicious mixture of cider fruit-trees were planted in hedges,