J300K IV. WALL-FENCES. 443 



SuBSKCT. 5. Wall-Feihcea. 



28S1. Wall-fences are constructed of different sorts of materials, and are of various 

 kinds. They are for the most part good fences, though some of them, as tliose of the 

 earthy kinds, are not by any means durable, and, therefore, should not be formed where 

 other better sorts can be had recourse to. In the construction of walls, it is essential that 

 the stones be either taken from a quarry, or consist of the largest land-stones broken in 

 such a manner as that they may have a good flat surface, in order that they may bind 

 well ; that they be built by masons and well pinned ; that they have as dry and deep a 

 foundation as possible, in order to guard against frosts, &c. ; that they be made wide at 

 the bottom, and tapering upwards to about the breadth of ten inches, when the coping 

 is to be applied ; that the coping consist of materials that cannot be readily overturned 

 or removed ; as, upon the manner in which it is finished, much of the future value and 

 durability of the wall will be found to depend. 



2832. Dry stoiie walls are of three kinds, round stones gathered from the fields, and 

 coped with turves ; quarried stones, upon which some pains have been bestowed to put 

 them into proper shape ; and the Galloway dike, so denominated from its being 

 originally used in that country. 



2833. The wall or dike made with roimd or land-stonex, by laborers, and covered with 

 a coping of turf, is a very indifferent fence. In most instances, it is not only very ill 

 constructed as to shape, being of one uniform thickness from top to bottom, but the 

 stones, from their round figure, do not present a sufficient surface to each other, to bind 

 and give stability to the building. This fence has long been known , and is still very 

 common in the remote parts of the country, upon estates where the first rude essay is 

 made in the way of improvement, and where masons cannot readily be had. In such 

 situations, it has a two-fold benefit ; the surface is cleared of many stones that would 

 otherwise have presented a considerable obstacle to its cultivation, and the field is at the 

 same time enclosed: but, though these objects are accomplished for a time, their benefit 

 is not permanent, as the wall is perpetually tumbling down ; even the cattle rubbing 

 against it make considerable gaps in many places; and in that way, great trouble aixl 

 expense are annually required to keep it in repair. 



2834. The wall in ivhich the stones are quarried 393 

 (^i,'. 393.), and put together by skilful masons, broad 

 at bottom, tapering gradually upwards, and finished 

 at top with a substantial coping, has a very neat ap- 

 pearance, and has been known to last thirty and even , 

 forty years without repairs. A good foundation is 

 highly essential in the construction of this fence; from 

 nine to twelve inches is the smallest depth that it should be below the common surface* 

 especially if the soil is open and porous, and the largest and heaviest stones shoold 

 always be laid undermost. 



2835. The Galloway di/ce or ivnll {Jig. 394. ) is princi- 394 

 pally employed for enclosing high grounds that are depas- 

 tured with sheep, for the confining of which it seems well 

 calculated. From two feet to two and a half, at the bot- 

 tom, it is built in a regular compact manner with dry 

 stones, in every respect the same as a dry stone wall, with 

 a broad base, tapering gradually upwards : the building is 

 then levelled with a course of flat stones, resembling a cop- 

 ing, in such a manner as that these flags or flat stones shall project two or three inches over 

 the wall on each side. Above these flat stones is laid a course of rugged round ones, placed 

 upon each other in a Vvay secure enough to give stability to the building, but at the same 

 time so open as to leave a considerable vacuity between each ; by which means a free 

 passage is afforded to the light and wind, which blows through them with a violent 

 whistling noise. This rough open part of the building is generally raised three feet above 

 the regular part of it. gradually tapering upwards, till it terminates in a top of about 

 nine inches broad, every course of the rough stones being smaller than that immedi- 

 ately beneath it. Its tottering appearance is so well calculated to prevent sheep, cattle, 

 or other animals, from approaching it, that it is seldom indeed that any attempt is made to 

 leap over it. This circumstance, together with the ease with which the stones are procured, 

 in most of the situations where the Galloway dike is used, renders it a valuable fence. 



2836. Stone and lime tvatls, in order to be durable, should have a good foundation, deep 

 enough to prevent them from being hurt by frosts, with a broad base, tapering gradually 

 upwards. This fence, when properly executed, is, next to hedges, the most durable of 

 any ; it is, however, very e?:pensive ; and its superiority over the dry stone wall is so 

 trifling in point of durability, as to render the latter the most eligible, it being greatly 

 cheaper, and answering every purpose of a fence equally well. For the building of 



