EXERCISE. lOI 



which to sink the pickets, and in filling this stones that 

 can be conveniently gathered should be mixed with the 

 dirt, and all tamped down as hard as possible. 



The pickets now stand seven feet above ground, and 

 unless the tenant of the yard is of small breed this is none 

 too high, for even among heavy and seemingly clumsy 

 dogs there are not a few that can make their way over a 

 fence six feet in height. 



To save the pickets from being gnawed two or more 

 base boards will be required, and these should be from 

 six to eight inches in width and about three inches apart. 



A fence of this sort freely admits the air and sunshine, 

 and the rails being on the outside and nothing within to 

 afford a foothold, to jump it is well-nigh impossible. If, 

 however, an inmate succeeded in making his way over, 

 there would be nothing to do but to build the fence 

 higher, although some advise putting a ledge around the 

 tops of the pickets for the jumper to strike his head 

 against. But this plan is not advisable, for the blow or 

 fall might cause serious injury, and one should not take 

 any chances with good dogs. 



A fence of pickets has been advised for the reasons that 

 it is cheaper than any other, is easily constructed and 

 quite durable. Without doubt, however, an iron fence is 

 the best and safest in every way, but such is expensive, 

 although not necessarily very decidedly so if made of rods 

 passed through top and bottom rails spiked to posts and 

 set at about the same distances from the ground as the 

 rails of picket fences of about the same height. 



A more sightly fence than one of wooden pickets can 

 be made of wire-netting, and were the same closely woven 

 and of wire of good size it would do nicely were the dogs 

 of small breeds. But this netting must be very strong to 

 hold a large dog. 



