491 



SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURE. 



FaKT II. 



to common fences, in districts tli.it do not require shelter ; because they occupy less space 

 than hedgee or walls, and do not, by attracting cattle, cause their manure to be unequally 

 distributed; nor do they harbour birds or insects. 



-.1 



-jr. 



479 



?- ii— _\ y/ 1 _\ 



0M1. Ornamental wooden hurdles {fig. 478. and 479.1 mav sometimes be formed at less expense of 

 material than the common sort, because they admit of being made strong by working up short pieces of 



wood. Those which are highest (.fig. 478. a b) may be made of 

 oak, and six feet high, so as to be a fence for cattle; others (fig. 

 479.) may be made of the common prunings and thinnings of 

 young plantations. In general it is an improvement in the con. 

 BtTUCtion of hurdles to make the two sides so as to answer either 

 as bottom or top (fig. 480 ) ; by which means, if a leg is broken 

 off, it is only necessary to turn the hurdle upside down, and 

 we have still a perfect hurdle. For this purpose make the heads 

 eighteen inches or two feet longer than usual, and sharpen both 

 ends (fig. 480.) ; then the side pieces should be always double, 

 one on each side of the rails, and should shut in at their ends 

 on the heads and the centre piece, that their bearings may be 

 equally strong and firm whichever end is even uppermost. {Gard, 

 Mag. vol iv.) 



3048. Iron hurdles ( fig. 481.) are found a very elegant and durable fence, though more 

 ft- — p i f| than double the expense of wood. For park o 



lawn fences they are admirably adapted ; but 

 occupy rather too much capital for a commer- 

 cial fanner. 



3049. The willow, or wattled, fence is made 

 by driving a number of piles of any of the 

 kinds of willow or poplar, about half the thick- 

 ness of a man's wrist, into the earth, in the 

 direction of the fence, and at the distance of 

 about eighteen inches from each other. They 

 are then twisted, or bound together along the 

 top with small twigs of willow or poplar (Jig. 

 ,482.). This kind of fence has some ad- 

 vantages peculiar to itself; it not only forms a cheap and neat paling, but if it is done 



either about the end of autumn or early in the 

 spring, with willows or poplars recently cut down, 

 the upright parts or stakes will take root, grow, 

 and send out a number of lateral branches ; and, 

 if pains are taken in the following autumn to twist 

 and interweave these branches properly, a perma- 

 nent and almost impenetrable fence may be formed 

 in two or three years. For the enclosing of 



4<?1 



^ 



marshy lands, or for completing any enclosure, where a part of the line in which the 



fence ought to run is so wet as to be unfit for the growth of 

 thorns, or the building of a wall, the willow paling will bo 

 found an excellent contrivance, and the use of it will render 

 many enclosures complete that could not otherwise have 

 been formed. Sometimes stakes are used of a kind which 

 do not take root and grow, in which case this form still 

 makes a very neat and efficient temporary fence. (Jig. 483.) 



