48 Fences, Walls and Hedges 



In place of the pipe a course of dry 

 stones, which allow water to percolate 

 through them, may be substituted. The 

 bottom of all permanent masonry walls 

 should extend below the frost line, which 

 will be from three to four feet below grade, 

 the farther north we are the deeper we 

 go, but four feet will be the maximum. 



To join wood and stone it is well to 

 have as little wood as possible imbedded in 

 the stone work on account of liability to 

 rot. This is more true of vertical pieces 

 of wood than horizontal ones, as they col- 

 lect water at the joints more readily. 

 Iron dowels and anchors are safe and 

 strong means of fastening. If iron is used 

 with stone it may be built into the stone 

 work or a hole drilled, the iron inserted 

 and the hole plugged with molten lead. 

 With brick it is better to build in the iron. 

 If balusters are brought down on stone or 

 concrete they are more lasting if held a 

 small fraction of an inch above the stone 

 by an iron dowel, for the water cannot 

 then collect around the base and rot the 

 wood. 



