PEACTICAL FOEESTEY. 



would not succeed. They are, at best, troublesome fences to 

 keep in repair, and require some adjunct either in the way of 

 wires a-top,or to be planted with gorse or other suitable shrubs. 

 One advantage is the great amount of shelter they afford to 

 the young plants, while they are, comparatively speaking, 

 cheap of erection. There are several methods of building 

 turf dykes, the best being to cut or pare the turf 3 in. in 

 thickness and in one or more lengths to suit the width of 

 the dyke, and of a convenient breadth : they are laid cross^ 

 wise one above the other. Both sides of the dyke should be 

 built at once, giving the necessary batter as the work 

 proceeds, and the grassy surface of the turf placed to the out- 

 side. The dyke is usually made 3 ft. in height, 3 ft. wide, 

 and drawn gradually in to 12 in. at top. A two-rail fence 

 surmounts the dyke, bringing the total height to 4 ft. or 

 5 ft. Sometimes a ditch is cut alongside the dyke 3 ft. wide 

 about 2| ft. deep, and 9 in. wide at bottom, which prevents 

 the farm stock getting at and damaging it, the soil removed 

 being used in forming the fence. By sowing gorse and 

 broom seeds on top of the dyke an excellent shelter fence is 

 obtained. 



(4) Wood Fences. These are common on almost every 



SAWN WOOD FENCE. 



estate throughout the country, especially such as are well 

 wooded, and, owing to the low prices obtainable for home 



178 



