TIIE EMIGRANT'S HAND-BOOK. 95 



braces about five feet long, and from two to tbree inches 

 by five in size, and bars from six to eight feet in length, 

 and from one to one and a half inches by five in size. The 

 posts are mortised, and the bars fitted similarly to the 

 usual manner for post and rail fence, except that one 

 rail, to go next to the upper one, has one end tenoned 

 longer than the others, which passes through the upper 

 end of the brace before entering the post; the brace hav- 

 ing its lower end inserted into the ground about eight 

 inches deep, and about one foot and a half from the line 

 of the fence ; each post being set in the ground about four 

 inches, and braced alternately on each side ; that is, one 

 post is braced from one side, and the next from the oppo- 

 site side. These keep the fence in an erect position, and 

 sustain it against any pressure, often experienced from 

 wind or cattle. I have fence which has been set in this 

 manner for two years past, and it stands better than any I 

 have ever seen with posts set deep in the ground. Among 

 the advantages of this kind of fence are the following : 

 The stuff being short, much timber can be worked into it 

 which cannot be worked into ordinary rails ; and the 

 fence need not be over half the weight of common fence, 

 it not depending on its weight to make it substantial, and 

 being more easily split. The fence will also stand much 

 longer, as where posts depend upon strength at the surface 

 of the ground, and become old and partially decayed, the 

 wind or the crowding of cattle is apt to break them off; 

 while on this plan, the fence being braced near the top, 

 stands firmly, though light ; and there being no purchase 

 upon either post or brace, it will stand erect until both 

 are completely decayed. 



I bore the posts and braces with a machine by horse 

 power, and tenon the rails with the same. With this ma- 

 chine, fence may be prepared for setting, after the tim- 



