THE YOUNG FARMER'S MANUAL. 185 



of the strap. Drive the hooks partly into the post, and hang 

 the gate on, minding to keep the latch end of the gate blocked 

 up until the hinges are driven clear in. If the farmer would 

 have his gate swing open, let the upper strap on the gate extend 

 beyond the lower one about an inch and a half. Another way 

 of hanging with hooks and straps, so as to have a gate swing 

 open or shut, is to let both straps extend an equal distance be 

 yond the heel stile of the gate, just as they do when a gate is to 

 be hung on an even balance. Now, if the gate, when it is being 

 opened, swings to the south, for example, set the heel post lean 

 ing to the north about an inch and a half from a perpendicular 

 line. This slight inclination of a post will hardly be perceived 

 by the bystander, and yet so slight an inclination will close a 

 gate quickly when it is open a quarter of a circle; but when 

 swung beyond a right angle, it will swing back the other way. 

 In order to have a gate swing open when unlatched, when it is 

 hung as last mentioned, let the heel post lean a little the way 

 the gate swings open. It will then open at a right angle, and 

 there remain, and if swung back through half a circle, it will re 

 turn again, itself, to a right angle, when set free. 



246. I have been unusually particular in the preceding para 

 graphs, in order to show the farmer what is necessary to make a 

 gate swing to his mind which has been hung for a long time, and 

 needs righting up a little. If, for instance, a gate has been hung 

 on an equal balance, but will swing open one way, and swing 

 shut from the other way, the heel post leans the way the gate 

 swings open, and must be righted up a little, if we would have 

 the gate remain at rest when open or partly closed. 



247. When it is desirable to have a gate, when hung with 

 iron hinges, open both ways, and shut itself from both ways, the 

 gate should be hung with hook and eye at the top, as shown at 

 Fig. 85, and with a forked hinge at the bottom, like Fig. 86. 

 The forks rest against two staples which are driven into the heel 

 posts, one of which is represented at Fig. 87. The staples are 

 made of half-inch round iron, about two inches wide and three 

 inches long, and the forked hinge may be made morn or less 



