STAKES AND TRELLISES. 339 



size than was common some years ago. The 

 numbers most frequently used now are from ten 

 to fourteen. It should either be annealed or gal 

 vanized, the last being the best, but costing 

 about double. There are two kinds of wire, 

 hard coal and charcoal. The former is very 

 brittle, and wears away pretty fast by oxyda- 

 tion, and is therefore not the best for the vine 

 yard. Charcoal wire is tough, pliant, and dur 

 able, and is the kind that should be used. We 

 have found No. 14 of this wire abundantly 

 strong. 



If posts other than cedar or yellow locust are 

 used, the portion put in the ground should be 

 covered with coal tar, or, better still, plastic slate. 

 Both should be applied when the posts are dry, 

 and the coal tar will be more effectual if warmed 

 before it is put on. The plastic slate is mixed 

 with coal tar, and applied with a whitewash 

 brush. 



