FENCING, 295 



tradesman will see to that. But the position, 

 that a solid foundation is not more necessary 

 to the support, than a properly placed and 

 well set on coping is to its preservation, may 

 not have occurred to every one. The coping, 

 to a wall of this description, is as the roof to 

 the interior parts of a house. If water is 

 not completely excluded, there can be little 

 comfort within ; so neither can the wall be 

 in good condition, or stand long, after water 

 is suffered to penetrate. 



The mode of coping varies with taste ; 

 but I do not presume that, for a common 

 fence, a finely dressed hewn cope is to be set 

 on. I consider it an error to place any cope, 

 so as that its surface may be fiat ; nor do I 

 consider whether it project or not a matter of 

 any importance. The virtue of every good 

 cope is, to exclude moisture from penetrating 

 the top, not preventing it from falling on the 

 face of the wall. Wherefore, in whatever 

 position the coping is placed, -it becomes a 

 matter of caution to make good joints. 



The kind of cope which I conceive most 

 advisable in the present case is, two thin 

 stones set up in a triangular form, and in such 



u 



