PRACTICAL FOKESTRY. 



so as to be economical, the wall is built a certain height and 

 wires placed a-top. 



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 foundation 

 being from 22 in. to 24 in. wide, and 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 a-top, the wall need only be 3 ft. high 

 2^ 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. apart for receiving the iron standard, 

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

 are readily procured, may be used for a similar purpose to 

 the iron standards, but they are built firmly into the wall, 

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

 sometimes three wires, are used a-top of the wall. 



(2.) Slate Fences. These are commonly in use through* 

 out 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 con- 

 sidered as practically indestructible. The expenses incurred 

 for keeping 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 perpen- 

 dicular, so as to insure 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, 



A double wire is then tightly interlaced about 3 in. from 



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