1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



49^ 



but stretch j-our line and go to work. It is ■well 

 to use two lines, one on each side, so that there 

 be no shifting about of the line. Raise your line 

 or lines some eight inches or more from the 

 ground, so that the foundation stones may be 

 placed underneath, thus making a shoulder or 

 jog on the exterior of the fence, of some inches, 

 depending on the size of the stone. Lay the larg- 

 est rock first, and the largest continually, until 

 the fence is complete. 



Three feet at the base, four feet six inches high, 

 and ten or twelve inches at the top, is an excel- 

 lent fence ; but with good stone a body of less 

 dimensions will suffice. 



As the fence rises, lift the line, and be mind- 

 ful to begin to batter or slope the wall at the 

 foundation, and continue to batter uniformly to 

 the top. 



My fences lately made look rough, because I 

 pay no attention to a face stone, but head all to 

 the line, both sharp-pointed and rough. The 

 stones should be laid flat, and kept level, to do 

 which it is sometimes necessary to fill in with 

 small stones. Be slow and particular in laying 

 the foundation, a little faster in the body, and 

 near the top small stones require a quick motion, 

 or but little is done, — always being mindful not 

 to leave a stone to jostle in the wall. 



To build a stone fence horizontally on a hill- 

 side, the lower half of the track should be dug 

 down to a level. On this level build as above 

 recommended, putting all the best stone in the 

 lower side of the wall, for there is little danger 

 of a fence falling up hill. And remember to bat- 

 ter the lower side in proportion to the steepness 

 of the ground ; so that if very steep, all the bat- 

 tering shall be below, and the upper side perpen- 

 dicular. 



"When the stones are at hand, a man who un- 

 derstands the business, can put up from one and 

 a half to four rods of fence in a day ; the amount 

 depending on the size and quality of the stone. 



I have a man now making stone fence for me, 

 boarding himself and gathering his own stone, 

 at four shillings the rod, who is averaging two 

 and a half rods the day. I am satisfied that if 

 the stone were at hand he would make from four 

 to five rods the day 



Where large stones are scarce and small ones 

 plentiful, the foundation of a fence may be made 

 of the small ones, provided broad stones are 

 placed on these, — being mindful to make the 

 foundation about four feet wide ; and it would be 

 well to run a large plow furrow on each side, 

 casting the earth inward, so as to make a trench 

 for holding the foundation stone. 



Where stones of all sizes are scarce, a good 

 fence can be made of stone and Avood. A fence 

 two feet four inches at the base, three feet high, 

 and six inches at top, will require only about half 

 the stone of a fence three feet base, four and a 

 half feet high, and twelve inches top. By laying 

 a rail on the top of a three-foot stone fence, driv- 

 ing stakes on either side, and capping with poles, 

 you will have a good fence about four and a half 

 feet high. The stakes should be locust, and the 

 poles should be chestnut — and the longer the 

 poles the stronger the fence, and fewer the stakes 

 required. If you have the chestnut but not of 

 suitable size, you can with maul and wedge soon 

 make them suit. 



A stone fence will last as long as one could 

 desire ; a rail fence must be renewed every twenty 

 or thirty years, although of chestnut. A wood 

 fence requires continual repairs, a stone fence 

 needs but little attention. 



In the general, to make a stone fence, the cost 

 will not exceed more than three times that of a 

 rail fence ; and where the stones are taken from 

 a valuable field, a credit on cost should be given 

 for their riddance. 



The Virginians pay taxes on too much land ; 

 they should own much less, and fence up and 

 take better care of that they have. Land not 

 worth fencing is not worth having. 



For every stone which you pick up and move 

 you shall have a credit; for every valuable tree 

 which you cut you shall have a debt. 



What did the Creator make all these stones 

 for ? — Soutlievn Planter. 



Cashmere Goats in Ohio. — We see it no- 

 ticed that Joseph P. Ross, Esq., of Bainbridge, 

 Ohio, has become the possessor of a male and 

 female kid of the species of goats which are pe- 

 But the stone are good, Luliar to Thibet. He will exhibit them at the 

 and none more than thirty feet distant. Qhjo gtate Fair, where they will no doubt prove 



After a fence is two feet high, I can head on objects of interest. Cashmere has long been cel- 

 the stone as fast as two men can hand them to Lbrated for the manufacture of shawls, the beau- 

 me. The great art IS dropping the stone in the pro- 1 ty and texture of which have always excited the 

 per place, so that no further handling shall be re- 1 admiration of Europeans and Americans, and 



quired. About one hundred and eighty common 

 sized stone will build a rod of fence. Work nine 

 hours in the day, and handle one stone the 

 minute, and you will have made three rods of 

 fence ; and surely a man can do this. 



At this work at least two men should work to- 



made them a prominent article of dress in the 

 fashionable world. The wool from which these 

 shawls are fabricated forms the inner coat with 

 which the goat is covered, and has caused that 

 animal to be an object of great interest to the 

 mercantile community and the beau monde. At- 



gether, particularly where the stones are large. ! tempts to introduce this breed into India have 



The tools required are a grubbing hoe, crow bars, | i^ggj-^ made b' 



and large hammer, — and drills where blasting is 

 necessary. A piece of iron an inch square and 

 four feet long is all sufficient for a crow-bar. 

 Hammer it round about two-thirds its length, 

 and round the point a little, and it is ready for 

 ripping up stone. 



He who has the stone should put them into a 

 fence, particularly if he is scarce of timber. And 

 if he has the timber, better sell it with the land, 

 and expend the proceeds in stone work. 



but without success. It is peculiar 

 to Thibet where alone it flourishes. The at- 

 tempt to introduce it here will, no doubt, meet 

 with a similar fate. 



To Prevent Cows Losing their Milk. — 

 Francis Van Doren, of Adrian, Michigan, had a 

 valuable cow that lost much of her milk, and 

 found a preventive in placing an India rubber 

 ring around the teat after milking. He says this 

 is efi'ectual. — Rural New-Yorker. 



