FENCING. 47 



fence-wall was completed from the base to 

 the coping-stone, to the delight of the ab- 

 sentee proprietor, who came to see it all 

 " measured up" and to pay for it. But the 

 benefit of such husbandry, or " improvement," 

 was of a very transitory character indeed. 

 The first severe hurricane of wind, or break- 

 ing up of a long frost and drifted snow by 

 thaw, very soon blew up the one and blew 

 down the other of these improvements. 



In our own hamlets I gave such walling 

 upon and below the surface, the appellation 

 of walling " running-measure," and avoided it 

 as follows. When I had one entire length 

 of fence to make, say half a mile in distance, 

 or any given space of ground to enclose, I 

 laid the foundation of the intended fence from 

 one end to the other, and raised the first 

 story of my wall to the height of eighteen or 

 twenty inches from one end to the other, 

 and followed the same rule in laying my 

 first tier of " throughs," or binders, and all 



