STATISTICAL SURVEY 



SfcCT* 2. Gates. 



WHERE fences are neglefted, it would be unnatural 

 to expecl, that much attention fhould be paid to gates ; 

 confequently there are very few, except amongfl thofc 

 perfons, who are careful in forming and preferving 

 their hedges. The ufuai method of putting cattle into 

 the fields is, by a bufh ftuck in between two jambs of 

 done or foets, which is put into its place, or removed 

 from it, at the evident peril of the fingers. Some good 

 effecT:, however, attends this want of gates, for, where 

 a gate is feen neatly made and painted, and judicioufly 

 hung, it makes a pleafing impreflion, whilft in a coun- 

 try, where fuch conveniencies are common, it would be 

 patted by unnoticed. In the conflruftion of gates, an 

 evident improvement was pointed out to me by Mr. 

 Chrifty of Kircuflbck; the diagonal ought to be dove- 

 tailed into the upper part of that fide of the gate, by 

 which it hangs j the narrow part or neck of the dove- 

 tail being the lower, of courfe the weight of the far- 

 thej part of the gate is completely counteracted, for 

 the more it prefTes, the tighter the joint is pulled, 

 which cannot give way, unlefs fome lateral preflure is 

 applied to remove it from its place. Something of 



this 



