258 Practical Forestry 



of these ; and, secondly, where only a limited quantity are 

 available, the wall is built to a certain height and wires 

 placed atop. 



The dry stone wall as this is usually termed, is built 

 without mortar, with the exception of the cope-stone, 

 which in all cases should be bedded in and pointed with 

 lime. 



From 4 ft. to 5 ft. is the usual height, the foundations 

 being from 22 in. to 24 in. wide, and the wall 14 in. across 

 beneath the cope-stone, the latter being about 10 in. high 

 and placed on edge. Great care is necessary in building to 

 see that the " throughs " or binding-stones are placed in 

 position, as on this depends mainly the efficiency of the 

 fence. Where wires are used atop, the wall need only be 

 3 ft. high, 22 in. wide at base, and 12 in. under the cope- 

 stone. The latter are bedded in mortar, and an extra large 

 stone is placed every 6 ft. for receiving the iron standard, to 

 which the wires are attached. Slate slabs, where these are 

 readily procured, may be used for the same purpose as 

 the iron standards, but they should be built firmly into the 

 wall, and reach from the base of the foundation. Two, and 

 sometimes three, wires are used atop of the wall. 



Slate Fences. These are commonly in use throughout 

 Wales ; in fact, wherever slate quarries are worked. When 

 well erected and of fairly regular sized slates, this fence is 

 certainly not to be despised, and it may be considered as 

 practically indestructible. The expenses incurred for keep- 

 ing these fences in repair are also very little, as they seldom 

 become damaged, and when an upright chances to get 

 broken, another whole one can easily be substituted, and 

 without interfering with any other portion of the fence. The 

 size of slate pale, or slab, as usually termed, is 5 ft. long, 4 in. 

 to 6 in. wide, and about 1 in. in thickness. In erecting the 

 fence a trench is cut about 12 in. wide and 8 in. deep, care 

 being taken that the trench is cut perpendicular, so as to 

 ensure the pales standing in a similar position. These are 

 placed upright in the trench, about 3 in. apart, with their 

 flat side close to the perpendicular cut and the soil replaced 

 in the trench and made firm with a rammer. 



