428 The yoiirnal of Forestry. 



ground, while the upper part -will last many years, and might thus be 

 utilized in the manner alluded to. Mr. Slater's system deserves some con- 

 sideration, but to my mind it is too laboured and elaborate. I would be 

 glad to know if he has had any considerable experience as to its efficacy, 

 I cannot help thinking that in a few years these half-inch tacks with which 

 he secures the zinc (lead is too dear) would give way, and I am dubious as 

 to the durability of white-lead underground. The post or stob first gives 

 way just at the surface of the ground where the wet and dry meet, and of 

 course this is attributable to its being alternately wet and dry according to 

 the weather, but generally in a sort of half-dry state. Now, in any case 

 the wood draws moisture from the ground, encase it as you may, and 

 the less moisture it draws to the part at the surface of the ground the 

 sooner it decays. Those who have had experience in fencing know that 

 a post or stob gives way soonest in a dry bank. My experience in fencing 

 has taught me that for a permanent wooden fence the most economic and 

 satisfactory post is larch, cut in the proper season of the year ; the bark 

 will then adhere closely, and is the best preservative. 8aw and case rp 

 the posts in a dry place, and there leave them six months or longer to 

 season; give two coats of hot gas tar, or char that part of the stob which will 

 be a little above and under the ground. If the fence is a wire one, keep the 

 wires tight, and your stobs will last longer. I will be very glad to hear of 

 any practicable plan to preserve posts in a more satisfactory manner. On 

 some large estates in Scotland all heavy posts for wire and other fences are 

 placed in a long tank made for the purpose, and steeped in a solution of 

 corrosive sublimate for several weeks till thoroughly saturated; they are 

 then taken out and cased up to dry before being put in the ground. That 

 this is intended as a preservative against rot many strongly doubt, l)ut 

 being a most virulent poison, it is no doubt an excellent protective against 

 the attacks of all sorts of worms, insects, or fungi. 



A. B. 



Sir, — I think your correspondents who write about the preservation of 

 posts and fencing, and advocate old remedies as if new, and having some 

 merit, should at least be logical in their statements. Mr. Baxter writes 

 about the decay of posts, and proposes, by way of helping to solve the problem, 

 to drive iron prongs alongside decayed " stobs " and nail them there. "Will 

 he favour us by saying what shape are the i^rongs that are driven into the 

 ground ? What sort of soil the ground was ? Whether more than one 

 prong was used for each stob, and whether nailed to the stob below the 

 line of decay as well as above ? 



The concluding proposition of " substantial cast-iron sockets sunk in the 

 ground with suitable bolt holes at top to which the posts could be firmly 

 screwed," &c., looks like slender experience of the properties of either 

 wood or iron. In common fairness I give him the chance of criticising 

 my remedy for decay of posts and spurs. Whatever wood you may use — 



