FENCES, WALLS, AND SHELTERS. 



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6a wn out of the same, or out of good deal, and painted or vai'nislied like tlio 



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otLer, The worst wooden fences, both on the ground of 

 appearance and economj', although they are by far the most 

 common, are those with the vertical splints split out of oak 

 or other timber, and nailed on the rails, as opposite. 



178. The edges of such s^Dlints are, of course, rough and 

 jagged, themselves being twisted into every shape, as they 

 can only split with the grain of the wood, and the spaces 

 between are most irregular. An excellent fence, however, 



and one vei-y commonly found in suburban residences, is a stout oak paling, 

 placed upon a foundation of brick-work, supported by strong stakes at 

 intervals. This is a handsome and effective fence, only inferior to a brick or 

 stone wall for garden purposes. 



179. Unless, however, for the greater shelter provided by wooden fences, 

 and their less cost in the first instance, they cannot compete with iron, which 

 is doubtless the best of all materials, especially for boundary fences. In 

 point of ultimate economy, efficiency, d\irability, and beauty, iron stands un- 

 rivalled. Before erecting a boundary fence, I would advise every one to consult 

 the cu-culars of our great wire-manufacturers. They offer the most tempting 

 variety of designs, at astonishingly low prices ; and by means of strained wire, 

 iron hurdles, and the flexibiUty of the material used, the sharpest curves can 

 be followed to a nicety, and the most irregular outline con-ectly traced. An 

 iron fence for deer, six feet high, with horizontal rods, iron posts seven feet 

 apart, and a handsome massive straining pillar for every 100 yards of fence, 

 will be delivered at any railway station at 25. 2d. per lineal yard. A fence of 

 the same height, the proprietor finding the wooden posts, will be delivered 

 at lOhd. per lineal yard. A heavy cattle-fence, four feet high, of a similar 

 description, complete, can be delivered for Is. id. per lineal yard, or, 

 the proprietor supplying wooden posts, for 7ld. per lineal yard ; a sheep- 

 fence, three feet high, complete, with five horizontal rods, lOd. per lineal 

 yard ; wooden posts supplied by proprietor, 3d. do. do. ; and so on in pro- 

 poi-tion. Nothing could be desired cheaper, and certainly nothing more 

 efiicient, than these fences. In districts where stone is plentiful and labour 

 cheap, a wall of stone may be almost equally so ; and, although less elegant, 

 is quite as efficient for protection, and more 

 useful for shelter. Some will jDrefer brick ; and 

 tvalls of either, four feet high, will be sufficient 

 for bullocks and horses. For deer, the walls 

 must be either two feet higher, or surmounted 

 by one or two iron rails, supported by stone piers 

 or iron posts, to give additional height, thus : — 



180. In situations where the extremities of parks are mostly bounded by 

 plantations of wood, or where they are grazed by sheep only, a most useful 

 and ornamental hedge-and-wall fence may be thus formed : — Build a wall. 

 Bay two and a half feet high, and plant a hedge of holly, hawthorn, horn- 



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