Book IV. 



PALING FENCES 



49." 



3050. The paling of growing trees, or rails nailed to growing posts, is made by planting 

 beech, larch, or other trees, in the direction of the fence, at about a yard distant from 

 each other, more or less, as may be thought necessary : these trees should be pro- 

 tected by a common dead paling, till they are ten or twelve feet high, when they 

 should be cut down to six feet, and warped or bound together with willows at top and 

 in the middle ; cutting off the tops will have the effect of making them push out a 

 great number of lateral branches, which, if properly warped and interwoven with the 

 upright part of the trees in the manner described for the willow fence, will both have 

 a beautiful effect, and will at the same time form a fine fence, which, in place of 

 deep decaying, will grow stronger with time, and may with very little trouble be kept 

 in perfect repair for a great length of time. 



3051. The upright and horizontal shingle fences are chiefly made of firs, coarsely sawn 

 into deals of from half an inch to an inch thick, and of different breadths according to 

 the diameter of the tree. Pretty strong square piles are driven or set into the earth, 

 and the deals nailed horizontally upon them, in such a manner that the under edge 

 of the uppermost deal shall project or lap over the upper edge of the one immediately 

 below it ; the fence, when finished in this manner, will have nearly the same appearance 

 as the bottom of a boat or cutter. An upright fence is made by fixing perpendicular 

 posts in the earth, nailing three pieces of wood horizontally, and covering these with 

 shingles placed perpendicularly : in this case the shingles are not above three inches 

 broad, and the extremittes of each are pointed at the top. 



3052. The warped paling fence consists of pieces of wood driven into the earth, bent 

 down in different directions, and their tops fastened together ; this fence resembles the 

 chevaux-de-frise, with only this difference, that, in place of leaving the points standing 

 up, as is the case with that part of fortification, they are bent down and tied together. 

 When made of dead wood, this fence is equally perishable with others of the same 

 description ; but when made of growing plants, it will be found very lasting. 



3053. The light, open, jjaling fence, with thorns, or the branches of trees ivove in {fig- 4 84. ), 



484 



\-i n f^&J^. 



differs from the common paling fence already described, 

 only in being warped either with thorns, or the branches 

 of trees. When properly done, it forms at once a very 

 complete fence ; but, like all fences made with dead 

 wood, it will be found very perishable, and will require 

 many repairs. It has, however, one advantage, viz. 

 that, when properly executed, it is proof against the 

 entrance of animals of any kind. 



3054. Primitive paling fences are formed without nails or ties of any sort, by 

 \ S ^P \vU> *\\^ tWi? inserting the pales or stakes 



in the ground in different di- 

 rections (fig. 485.), and by 

 using forked or hooked stakes. 

 They are chiefly desirable in 

 forest or park scenery for 

 maintaining a particular cha- 

 racter, and for separating horses, deer, &c. Such fences sometimes occur in Poland, 

 Hungary, &c. ; but in a civilised country they are to be considered more in the light of 

 effect than of practical utility. 



3055. Park fences of iron are the most efficient and elegant, (fig. 486. and 487.) Light 

 cast-iron posts, with rails or round iron rods, five eighths of an inch in diameter, to the 

 height of four feet, and, a foot higher, on the bent extremity of the posts, a chain 



nstead of a rod (fig. 486.), are found to form a barrier against any description of the 



486 



.arger quadrupeds kept in British parks, as horses, wild cattle, buffaloes, deer, &c. 

 Painted green, or even with the paint called blue anticorrosion (ground glass and oil 

 chiefly), or coated over with the pyrolignous liquor from the gasworks, such fences are 

 not obtrusive, and less liale to suggest ideas of limitation, confinement, restraint, &o, 

 than walls or pales. Silarly characterised fences may be composed of connected 

 hurdles (fig. 487), which are valuable, and probably the cheapest of all fences in 



