PEEPAEING THE PLANTING AEEA 93 



To avoid jointing all four rails on one post, they may 

 be jointed on alternate ones. This prevents the weakest 

 spots of each rail being in one place. Nails long enough 

 to clench at the back of the posts should be used. 



Driven Stobs with Wire Fences. 



In addition to the stobs, which should be 6 feet long 

 by 3 inches square, heavy posts 7 feet long by 8 inches 

 in diameter are required. These should be of Oak, and 

 should have their tops sawn to a point to prevent water 

 from lodging there and causing rot. 



The intermediate stobs may be of Larch or creosoted 

 Scots Pine. In a straight line of fence there should be a 

 heavy post every 200 yards or so, from which to strain 

 the wires. 



When the shape of the fence is angular, there must be 

 one at every comer. Also, when the surface of the ground 

 is very irregular, a heavy post should be placed in the 

 bottom of every hollow, with a sole board nailed securely 

 on to the base of the post, otherwise the strain of the 

 wires may lift the stobs out of the ground. 



When erecting the fence, the straining posts should be 

 fixed first, in the same way as the posts in the first fence 

 described. 



A post-hole spade and a foot pick or light crowbar are 

 needed for getting out the soil. The spade has a long 

 handle, and is bent sharply outwards from it, so that it 

 will hold soil more easily. The foot pick is practically a 

 light crowbar slightly bent at the end and fitted with a 

 foot tread and a cross handle. The ordinary pick and 



