180 THE YOUNG FARMER'S MANUAL. 



for the mortises (see Fig. 82), and then, with the try-square 

 and scratch-awl, make marks across the work side, I, as in 

 the figure. Place the square against the work side always, not 

 against the side opposite the work side, and make the marks across 

 the face side of stile, as in the figure. Then, from these marks, 

 with the square against the face side, draw the marks on the 

 side opposite the work side. Have two points in the gauge 

 just one inch apart. (I would not recommend to purchase a 

 mortise gauge, for they cost too much. A common gauge, 

 costing fifteen or twenty cents, with two steel points for mark 

 ing, will answer a good purpose.) Run the gauge along against 

 the face side, and mark the sides of the mortises, both on the work 

 side and on the side opposite to the work side. Lay the stile on 

 two benches as high as a man's knees, and have it lay level. One 

 cannot work as well when a stick does not lie level. Bore the 

 mortises half through from each side, and dress the sides of the 

 mortise to the mark. Or the stiles may be bored with the boring 

 machine (Fig. 122). Be careful and not break the wood over 

 the mark. With mallet and corner chisel, head down the ends. 

 If the farmer has no corner chisel, let him procure one, for it is 

 worth a score of straight chisels for making mortises. See that 

 the mortises are true clear through the stile. If they should be a 

 little winding, and if the tenon is made to fit tightly, the stile will 

 most certainly split when the gate is put together. Now plane 

 out the latch stile, and lay it by the side of the other stile ; and 

 lay out the mortises, and see if they correspond with each other. 

 After the mortises are made, bore the holes for the draw-pins 

 in the stiles. Half-inch or five-eighths are sufficiently large. 

 Dress out the arm of the gate, having a face side and a work 

 side. Let the face side on the arm be on the face side of the 

 stile, and the work side of the arm upwards. Lay out the tenons 

 with the gauge, and make them a sixteenth of an inch wider 

 than the length of the mortise, so that they will be tight when 

 driven in. If the tenons are a trifle too thick, they will split the 

 stile. Make the tenons on the slats, and have a little shoulder 



