146 THE LARCH. 



Cullen, a post-and-rail fence was erected, with the view 

 of testing the advantage of putting the posts into the 

 ground in the inverted position. [In Ireland, I am 

 informed, the posts are always, or at least in certain 

 districts, put in with the top end downwards, and 

 that they last much longer than when put in root end 

 down.] The fence referred to had stood about twenty 

 years, when it was taken down and replaced with a 

 wire fence. Without stating the object, I gave in- 

 structions to the forerilan to lay carefully aside all the 

 posts sufficiently good to repair other fences with, and 

 on inspecting the posts one by one, there were con- 

 siderably more of those which were put in top down 

 than the others. This, however, is not conclusive proof 

 that it makes any important difference which end goes 

 into the ground, but it is hereby suggested that those 

 who have the opportunity should further carry out the 

 experiment. 



The drying sheds of Tochineal Tileworks, Banffshire, 

 are all of wood, and the pillars which stand in the 

 ground are all larch. The sheds have stood over forty 

 years, and the pillars to-day are almost as sound and 

 good in many cases as when put in. The only decay 

 is a little at the surface of the ground. The soil is 

 damp cold clay on all sides. 



