THE YOUNG FARMER'S MANUAL. 83 



one end while he is fastening the other. It will be understood 

 that the wire passes through the post and clasps the rails ; and 

 on the under side of the rails the wire is on the outside of the 

 post. 



95. Some men prefer having two holes bored through the post 

 for every tier of rails, and having a hole in each end of the rails, 

 and the wire put through one rail, then through the post, then 

 through the rail on the opposite side of the post, and then through 

 the post again. But it requires far more labor to make the fence 

 when two holes are made through the post for each tier of rails, and 

 a hole in the end of the rails also, and it makes a fence no better, in 

 any way, than when but one hole is made through the post for each 

 tier of rails ; and, besides all this, when the holes are made through 

 the rails as well as through the posts, they must be bored very 

 exact, or it will be difficult putting the wires through. "When 

 the wires pass entirely around the rails, if they are twisted up 

 tightly the rails cannot be got out without breaking the wires. 

 This is a very cheap and substantial fence, and will turn horses 

 and large cattle about as well as a fence seven rails to a panel. 

 It is a great improvement to cast up a ridge along this kind of 

 fence, as neither cattle nor horses can push against it with as 

 much force as when the ground about it is all smooth and level. 

 If the rails be unusually large, the holes in the posts may be 

 bored farther apart than one foot. 



96. The principal reason why many fail in building this kind 

 of fence is, they do not use posts sufficiently large. Many use 

 only stakes, driven eighteen or twenty inches into the ground. 

 But in order to have such a fence stand well, the posts should be 

 as large as for an ordinary board fence, and should be set as deep 

 as for a board fence ; then if an unruly animal thrust his head 

 through he cannot throw off the top rails, nor push away the 

 bottom ones ; he must necessarily break the wires or rails, or 

 demolish the fence, in order to get through, and any animal that 

 will do that should not have his liberty in an open field. 



