72 THE YOUNG FARMER'S MANUAL. 



three feet of ground, from ^he centre of one joint to the other. 

 Now, if rails are fourteen feet in length, in order to give the cor 

 ners the same angle of the nine feet rails, we must give these rails 

 a crook of four feet eight inches, measuring from the centre of 

 one joint to a point opposite it, in a line with the joints on the 

 other side of the fence. "Where fence is to be staked, the rule for 

 the amount of worm which is most commonly adopted is, that 

 it be equal to one-third the length of the rails. This is enough 

 for any fence that is well staked ; and where a fence will not be 

 exposed to furious winds, it may answer just as good a purpose 

 to give it less than one-third the length of the rails. But where a 

 fence is not to be staked, and the rails are rather light, the worm 

 should be increased so as to be at least five-twelfths the length 

 of the rails, and sometimes even more than this. 



79. If the stakes are all stuck in a line, plant the fence rule 

 (Fig. 15) in a line with the stakes, where we are to commence 

 laying the foundation, having the rod R standing at a right 

 angle to the right or left of the line which would cut the fence 

 rule staff and the stakes. If the fence is to have a worm of four 

 feet, which is about right for rails twelve feet in length, place a 

 fence block under the rod R, so that the centre of the block will 

 be just under the two feet mark, from the rule staff. Lay on a 

 good straight rail, and carry the rule forward ; and plant it down, 

 in a line with the stakes, nearly opposite the other end of the rail, 

 with the rod R extending in the opposite direction. Place a block 

 beneath the two feet mark on the rod R, and lay on the end of the 

 first rail, and then lay on another rail and carry the rule along, 

 and lay another block in a line with the first block, and so on. 



80. Many fence-makers, in laying up rails, have the ends of 

 the rails extend beyond the points of conjunction at the corners 

 about one foot. But this practice uses up more rails than is neces 

 sary to build a fence a given number of rods in length; and, besides, 

 when the ends of the rails extend beyond the joint from ten to 

 twelve inches, a fence does not look as well, and is far more liable 

 to be thrown down, by the whippletrees catching it, or cattle rub- 



