Formation of Plantations 35 



Before sowing down woodland rides the soil should be 

 well consolidated, and all surface inequalities levelled. 



Fencing. Local circumstances will often determine the 

 mode of fencing new plantations. Where stones are abun- 

 dant these may be utilized in the formation of walls, while 

 in districts where slate abounds excellent fences of this 

 kind may be erected at a cheap cost. 



Turf Avails and ditches are sometimes formed as planta- 

 tion boundaries, but unless carefully looked after they are 

 rarely very successful. 



Stone and turf walls are now, however, almost entirely 

 superseded by iron fencing, it being not only readily con- 

 veyed to any desired point, but quickly erected and moder- 

 ately cheap. 



To recommend any particular system of wire fencing 

 would, for various reasons, be out of place, for amongst 

 the numerous kinds now offered almost any desired pattern 

 can be obtained. 



In any case the fence need not exceed 3 ft. 6 in. in height, 

 with seven-strand wires, two No. 6 and five No. 7 ; and, as 

 this is placed in position at so much per mile by the makers, 

 it is always well, so as to avoid bad erection and keep down 

 expense, to have it so put up. Where an abundance of 

 larch timber is growing on the estate, it would, perhaps, 

 be unwise to employ iron, but in the majority of cases it 

 will be found cheapest in the end to have the fences erected 

 wholly of iron and wire. 



The straining-posts should be of sound, well- seasoned 

 larch or oak, and 7 ft. long by 6 in. square, or if round 7 in. 

 in diameter. 



The intermediate posts are usually of larch, 5J ft. long 

 by 3 J in., by 3 in., or if round, not less than 3 J in. diameter 

 at small end. 



The straining-posts are placed in the ground at 1 50 yards 

 apart, with an additional strong post at every angle or curve 

 that occurs in the line of fence. The intermediate posts are 

 pointed and driven into the ground along the line of fence 

 at 6 ft. apart. 



In order to make a fence proof against the inroads of 



