98 FOKESTRY WORK 



with foot-plates fitted on to the bottom and stayed to the 

 post. The latter are much more convenient to handle, 

 and make the fence more secure. 



The standards are often batted into stone, but those 

 driven in, and provided, when necessary, with thrust 

 plates, are much more cheaply erected and will last longer. 



The winders or ratchets are slipped on to the posts and 

 fastened by means of keys, and are worked in the same 

 way as those fitted on to wooden posts. 



At the requisite intervals the standards are punched 

 with holes, through which the wires are passed, the only 

 fixing required being for the top barbed wire, which is 

 secured by clips; or if this is not used, the second wire is 

 keyed to the standards to prevent the latter from being 

 pushed out of perpendicular. They are fixed after the 

 wire is strained, and must be removed before any strain 

 is put upon the wires when tightening them at any time. 



Each pillar and standard is punched with holes, to 

 which stays may be fixed. The standard stays are used 

 on curves, but curves should be avoided if possible. 



When the iron is not batted into stone, the fence is 

 erected in the same manner as the driven stob and wire 

 fence, the winding posts being sunk in the ground and 

 the standards, usually T or H iron, driven in at 7 feet 

 apart. If no barbed wire is used, or where the ground 

 is soft, it is necessary to fix earth-plates (thrust plates) 

 8 inches by 6 inches to the standards. These are made 

 to slip down the standard, gripping the edge, and are 

 driven into the ground to their full depth viz., 6 inches. 



The material for these fences can be bought ready for 



