166 IX1>L'ST1JIAL r.SIvS VV \VU(»D. 



Tree-props, which are used to prop-up the houghs of orchard 

 trees when heavily laden with fruit, are usually of the same 

 dimensions of small or middling sized hop-poles, and are made 

 from poles of conifers, also of beech, oaks and other trees, several 

 stumps of branches being left at their tops to serve as forks and 

 support the laden branches. 



Vine-stakes, which are placed in the ground close to vines 

 and to which the latter are tied, usually consist of split oak 

 or coniferous wood, G-8 feet long, and lA-3 inches square. 

 In Alsace, vine-stakes are split from sweet chestnut stool- 

 shoots 10-12 feet long; they are far more ^durable than oak- 

 stakes. In France, vine-stakes are made even of aspen and 

 willows. 



AMierever, as in parts of the Palatinate, the vines are grown 

 very low, and spread more horizontally than vertically, the stakes 

 are left in the ground over winter, and only oak, sweet chestnut 

 and robinia-wood are found serviceable. In this case, horizontal 

 pieces or bars of wood are nailed across from one stake ta 

 another, the latter being placed vertically into the ground. The 

 stakes are thick split pieces 4-G feet long, and the bars split 

 laths 10-14 feet long, which are split off straight-grained stems 

 with a wedge or divider. They are sometimes replaced by steel- 

 wire. 



Wooden Park-palings. — These are employed round gardens 

 and parks, and es})('c-iMlly in Alpine pastures, and are made 

 by splitting round logs 4-G feet long. Inferior kinds of 

 wood are used sawn and generally creosoted. They may be 

 driven directly into the ground side by side. [In Jiritain, are 

 generally nailed to strong post and rail supports, and kept 

 entirely above ground, the lower part of the fence being formed 

 by a plank placed horizontally from post to post. Deer-parks 

 require the strongest fencing, and split oak and sweet chestnut, 

 or sawn larch or Scotch pinewood are chiefly used. — Tn.] 



Withes for fastening faggots, bundles of corn, oak-bark, hemp, 

 &c., are made of coppice- shoots of hazels, willows, and diflerent 

 shrubs ; sometimes oak and beech saplings are stolen for the 

 purpose. 



Brooms are usually made of young shoots and twigs of birch 

 trees, and should be cut before the foliage has appeared. 



