256 



prevent chafing. As soon as this ring oi hempen collar is 

 put on, the workman, who fixes it, proceeds to connect it 

 with the bracer at the centre, drawing the end of the mar- 

 line half way down between the top of the stakes and the 

 ground, and making it fast to one of the stakes. From 

 thence he passes it loosel}^ round the whole, taking a turn 

 round each stake, until he arrives at the point where he 

 began. He then pulls it tight, and fixes it firmly at that 

 point ; adding another line of connexion, on the opposite 

 side between the collar and the centre-bracer last finished. 

 For this work, it has been found more economical to use 

 double, than single marline of the conunon size ; as also, 

 to employ two workmen, if expert at the business, rather 

 than one ; as two will do it better and more speedily, in pro- 

 portion to the time they are employed. 



Thus it will be perceived, that a guard for trees of the 

 firmest sort is procured, and such as will last for nine or ten 

 years, with occasional repairs of the marline ; which last, as 

 it suffers by contraction and expansion, and the continual 

 rubbing of the sheep, should, after the first year, be gone 

 over two or three times during the summer, and kept in good 

 order. If the larger ends of the stakes (at which place they 

 always fail) be dipped in coal-tar, brought to the state of half 

 pitch, they will last from twelve to fifteen years. By driving 

 the stakes a little way out from the tree, as above directed, 

 the tallest blackfaced sheep (and no epicure in mutton will 

 ever keep any other stock) are forced to rub near the centre 

 of the stake, where the fence is the stoutest. The bark like- 

 wise, being covered in no part, excepting at the top of the 

 fence, by the small bit of mat, receives sufficient benefit from 

 the sun and air. 



The entire cost of this guard, materials and workmanship, 

 does not exceed sixpence per tree, reckoning ten stakes as 

 the average number required for each. Hence it is an eflfec- 

 tive, as well as an economical mode of defence, and I may 



