70 RANCHING IN THE CANADIAN WEST 



the two lower ones the length of an ordinary car- 

 penter's claw-hammer apart. 



You now have to fasten your wire to the posts, 

 and here the ever-useful waggon and team also play 

 a part. Lift the waggon-box off and place the crow- 

 bar through the spool of wire, so that it will revolve 

 freely, and fix to the " standards " of the waggon 

 running-gear, so that as you drive slowly and care- 

 fully ahead, keeping outside your posts (that is to 

 say, outside what is to be your field), the wire will 

 gradually unwind, the slack of it resting on the 

 ground at the feet of the line of posts, the other end 

 being firmly stapled to the particular corner post 

 you elect to start from. When about 50 yards 

 of wire are unwound, take up a little slack and hitch 

 it round one of the ends of the crow-bar which pro- 

 ject through the spool, which will prevent the latter 

 turning, and, using great caution so as to avoid a 

 sudden jerk, drive slowly ahead once more. By this 

 means the wire will be pulled quite taut, and after 

 placing a stone beneath one of the hind wheels of 

 the waggon to prevent the strain pulling it back- 

 wards, go down the line of posts, " stapling " the 

 wire to them. This process is continued right round 

 until the field is enclosed with the number of strands 

 you require. 



