< YI-:.\UIX<; I.rsn LANDS IN UKITISII COM:MBIA. 



21 



lap. joints with the rails; they look neater and the rails go a little farther. When 

 all the rails are laid bore two holes through the heavy posts at the top, one hole to 

 go through the end of each rail, and thread a piece of heavy telegraph-wire through 

 them and tie it round the smaller driven post. This will prevent the posts from 

 spreading. Wrap a piece of similar wire round both posts at the bottom, but with- 

 out holes. It used to be thought that wiring them on the top only was sufficient, 

 but experience has shown that to make a permanent fence that will not want repair- 

 ing every three years or so it is necessary to wire them on the bottom also. 



If first-class free-splitting cedar is plentiful, boards can be split 12 feet long, 

 1 inch thick, and from 10 to 12 inches wide, and nailed on the post the same as 

 sawn boards on an ordinary post and board fence, either with or without barl.-l 

 wire. The posts are usually set 12-foot centres. This is not quite so strong as a 

 board-fence of sawn fir boards, but it makes a good fence, particularly for cross- 

 fencing between fields, and is quickly and easily repaired and much cheaper. If 

 split cedar boards are used it is better to use the boards on the bottom only for 

 h'<r-proofing and wire on the upper part of the fence. If cedar boards are used 

 throughout they are apt to get split owing to people climbing over them, although 

 apart from this a good fence can be made from cedar boards alone. In practice 

 it is found that 4 feet to 4 feet 6 inches is high enough for cross-fences. (See Fig. 3.) 

 Any animal that will jump a 4-foot 6-inch fence ought to be got rid of. 



i-Jtertf- 



If it is intended to put up a post and board, or post, wire, and board fence, then 

 set heavy posts 16-foot centres, and after your lower boards are nailed on, drive 

 light posts (sharpened) half-way between, so as to give a post every 8 feet. The 

 spaces between the boards and wires, shown in Fig. 3, may be varied according to 

 circumstances. For instance, the bottom board may often be put only an inch or 

 two from the ground, to keep young pigs from rooting under. Also, the 6-inch space 

 between the two boards might with advantage be only 4 or 5 inches. This Fig. 3 

 is intended to represent a fence built with two split cedar boards or rails and two 

 barbed wires. If the boards or rails are less than the widths shown more of them 

 could be used, but it is best to use rails of a sufficient height to prevent hogs getting 

 over them. If suitable split cedar cannot be obtained for rails, it is cheaper, as a 

 rule, to use wire entirely, as sawn boards are now too expensive for fencing. 



There are various combinations of boards and wires, but a very serviceable and 

 cheap one is made by using an 8-inch board 4 inches from the ground, then a (5-inch 

 board about 5 inches above it, then three barbed wires; sometimes a 6-inch board is 

 substituted for the middle wire, in which case a 6-inch board can be used on the 

 bottom instead of an 8-inch board. The bottom board being fir should not touch 

 the ground, otherwise it will rot. Fir boards more than 8 inches wide are apt to 

 warp and draw the nails; split cedar boards do not warp and can be made 12 

 inches wide. If 6-inch fir boards are used, get them, if possible, 24 feet long, as 

 tlu\v are then nailed to three posts and make a stronger fence; use not less than 

 3^-inch wire nails, two nails to each board wherever it touches a post, and three 

 at the ends if over 6 inches wide. If you do not use the boards as soon as they 

 arrive, pile them neatly with small slats of split cedar between them, so as to 

 prevent warping and twisting. Where fir boards are used, always saw off the top 

 of the post to. a slope after the fence is completed, so as to shed the rain on the 



