62 THE YOUNG FAEMER 5 S MANUAL. 



the centre again, even if the rails should be a little too small, than 

 to undertake to split it into three equal parts ; or if such a stick, 

 when split into four rails, would make them too small, it would 

 be best to make but two of it, even if they were a little larger 

 than we could desire. We cannot always have every rail, stake 

 or post exactly of the size we may wish, but the aim should 

 always be, in splitting rails, to have the smallest rails equal to a 

 stick two and a half inches square, and increasing in size, so that 

 the largest rails will be equal to a stick four inches square. This 

 is a very good rule to split by, but if thought to be exceptionable, 

 it is very easy to split in two those rails which A says are of the 

 right size, and which B thinks are too large for one rail, and just 

 right for two. A rail about three inches square, or equivalent to 

 that size, will be pronounced by the great majority of farmers to 

 be a more desirable size, so far as economy and convenience are 

 concerned, than a rail of any other size. When a man has a 

 saw-mill of his own, and timber does not split very well, it might 

 be good policy to saw out his rails, making them about three 

 inches square ; but the same timber would build twice as much 

 fence if it were sawed into boards. 



65. Sometimes rails are split out of poles, which will make 

 from two to eight rails each ; and it often occurs that a pole would 

 make about three good rails, and if split into four they would be 

 too small, and if split into two rails they would be rather large. 

 As it is very difficult, and usually impracticable, to split a pole 

 into three, or five, or seven equal parts, on account of their liability 

 to run out in splitting, if a pole be too small for four rails, it is 

 best to make but two of it, even if they should be rather large. 

 When a pole is about the right size for six rails, the best way is 

 to split the pole into quarters, as nearly as we can, and many 

 times one of the quarters will be large enough for two rails. The 

 idea should be always kept in mind, that the rule which is observed 

 in riving staves, wagon-spokes, and such like, is, to split a stick 

 through the middle, and then take a smaller piece and split that 

 through the middle, and so on until every piece or bolt is reduced 

 to its desirable size. When a log or rail cut will make about 



