666 DR. CHASE'S RECIPES. 



and ended them up to dry. And now, after 14 years, not 1 in 10 needs replao 

 ing. I shall never build another fence for myself requiring posts without first 

 thoroughly seasoning, then oiling, and then tarring them. If they are tarred 

 when green, the tar does not penetrate the wood, and in a short time will all 

 scale off. When the wood is seasoned the oil penetrates the wood, and the 

 coating of coal tar keeps out the moisture, thereby preserving the wood from 

 decay." 



4. Fence Posts, Importance of Tamping, etc.— A correspondent 

 of the Counti-y Qentleman gives the following as his plan, which the author 

 fully endorses, of setting fence posts, except that when the hole is dug 2 feet 

 deep to be tamped with stone I should not cut back in sharpening more than 

 6 inches, while he cuts back 12 to 15. If only to be driven 1 foot, or even 

 18 inches, 6 is enough in gravelly or any soil except hard-pan or hard clay. 

 He says: 



I. " I first sharpen my posts, cutting back from 12 to 15 inches, according 

 to the size. I then dig good sized holes, say 15 inches across and 2 feet deep; 

 then take a crowbar and punch a hole in the bottom 10 or 12 inches deeper, 

 making it large at the top by working the bar back and forth. I then drive the 

 post with a heavy iron maul imtil the post is fully 3 feet in the ground. [The 

 author can not think he means 3 feet below the hole dug for the stones; if he 

 does it would require a 9 foot post — not at all probable.] I then fill the hole 

 with small stones well tamped ynih. the head of the bar. Posts set in this way 

 will be sound and serviceable when those set at the same time in the ordinary 

 way and tamped with earth will be decayed and useless. A neighbor tells me 

 that he made a piece of board fence over 30 years ago, in part of which he set 

 the posts with stones, and the rest were tamped with earth. Those set with 

 stone remained sound when the others had rotted away. 



II. Straight Post and Rail Fence. — He continues: "The best and most 

 economical fence I can make is a straight fence of posts and rails. I set the 

 posts in a line, 11 feet apart, using 12 foot rails, nailed on alternate sides of the 

 posts, which gives them a small lap. I drive a good stake by the side of each 

 post, held to the post by a wire placed above the bottom rails and a second wire 

 below the top rails. Fence built in this manner is firm and strong, taking much 

 less room than an ordinary rail fence, and is more serviceable in restraining 

 unruly stock than board fence. One strand of barbed wire across the top of 

 the posts, 8 or 10 inches above the top rail, will cause unruly stock to keep at 

 a respectful distance after one trial." 



Remarks. — There is not a doubt but what rails, properly nailed upon the 

 posts, are more economical than boards, yet, I think, more expensive, especially 

 on our western prairies, and there, too, almost absolutely impossible to get the 

 rails at any price. There is no doubt, either, but what the barbed wire along 

 the top would be respected, even by unruly stock, after a single trial. Now, if 

 the seasoned, oiled, and tarred oak posts of No. 3 are preferred, then set by 

 tamping stones around them, as in this last recipe, and no dirt put on top of the 

 stones, you will have a post that will last much longer than any other way, and 

 well worth adopting especially where timber is scarce. 



