502 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [36] 



dikes with a height of wall of 1 to 2 meters, as with a greater height 

 the mass of earth would exercise too great a pressure on the weak wicker- 

 work. Whenever this method is employed in higher dikes their height 

 ■p. ^g should be broken by several ter- 



-^' ' races. The material for wicker- 



work is, of course, branches, those 

 of the willow tree, whenever ob- 

 tainable, t^ be preferred, because 

 they will save the special i)lauting 

 of trees, as such wicker-work will 

 ' soon grow and have numerous 



shoots. If willow branches cannot be obtained, the branches of poplars, 

 alders, birches, «S:c., may be used. The branches should be long and 

 slender, and 2, at most 3, centimeters thick, so that they can be twisted 

 round the sticks without any trouble. Very thin branches would have 

 to be plaited like the wicker-work of baskets, which would delay the 

 work and make i't more expensive. One man with a hatchet can in 

 twelve hours cut enough branches to form 17 square meters of wicker- 

 work covering. The sticks for the wicker-work should be 5 to 8 centi- 

 meters thick and project GO centimeters above the wicker-work, and 

 should, if ])ossible, be taken from willow trees. If these sticks are to 

 be cut from the solid wood, six men with the necessary tools can make 

 300 of them in twelve hours; if, however, young stems or branches of 

 sufficient thickness can be used, this will be a great saving of time and 

 labor. 



Hints as to tlie manufacturing of the hooked sticks and bands have 

 already been given above under the heading of the fascine covering. 

 Laths or poles will be required for connecting the sticks, about 2.15 

 meters to every 2 consecutive meters of wall. 



The covering of the dike with wicker-work is done in the following 

 manner: Tlie sticks arc driven into the ground, at intervals of 30 cen- 

 timeters, to a depth of 45 centimeters, and to prevent their being pulled 

 out of position during the plaiting of the wicker-work they are at their 

 tops connected by poles or laths. The wicker-work should enter at 

 least 10 centimeters deep into the natural soil. As in fascine-covering, 

 the wicker-work is made about 25 to 30 centimeters lower than the dike. 

 In order to accomplish the work in the shortest possible time one should 

 proceed in the following manner : The branches are laid down along 

 the entire line of the dike at a distance of one pace. One man com- 

 mences to plait at one end hj laying the individual branches alternat- 

 ing inside and outside the sticks. If the branches are too thin several 

 should be formed into a bundle. After the first man has proceeded 5 

 to C paces, a second one commences to plait, to be followed at a similar 

 distance by the third and last man. In this way the work will progress 

 rapidly, one man driving the other. The anchoring may, in dikes meas- 

 uring 1 meter in height, be done in the middle 5 and in dikes measuring 



