FENCING. 



151 



is thrown. The best plan, however, to avoid such accidents is, to put a 

 wooden rail four inches broad along the top of the posts, where the 

 uppermost wire would otherwise have been placed. 



Wire fences are usually erected of two kinds, one of which is all iron, 

 the posts being made of iron ; and another having wooden posts on 

 which the wire is fixed. Where good timber is plentiful, it is best to 

 erect wire fences on wooden standards, as, in the case of iron standards, 

 if one of them give way, it deranges a great part of the fence before it 

 can be made good ; whereas, if a wooden standard give way, it is merely 

 necessary to draw the staples and put in a new post. 



In erecting a wire fence solely -with iron, the standards are either 

 fixed into wooden blocks or stones. The wooden blocks do not last long, 

 and therefore should never be used. Fig. 23 is a sketch of one erected 

 and fixed in stones. 



Fio. 23. 



This kind of fence is generally erected with six wires, the top wire 

 being the strongest, and is what is called No. 3 amongst manufacturers 

 of wire. The second and third wires from the top are a little smaller than 

 the top one, and are what is termed No. 4. The three lowest wires are 

 put on smaller still, and are what is usually called No. 6 wire. The posts 

 are made four feet long, one and a quarter inch broad by three-eighths of 

 an inch thick. The total height of fence when finished is usually three 

 feet nine inches. The straining-posts are usually put in one to every 

 hundred yards of fence ; but much depends upon the line of fence, as to 

 whether it be level or not. The straining-posts at the end of the fences 

 are much improved in strength by having a stay to assist in resisting 

 the pull of the wires, as shown at c. This kind of fence costs from lOd. 

 to Is. per lineal yard for material, and from 3d to 4d. for erecting it. 



In erecting wire fences with straining and intermediate posts of wood, 

 the straining-posts are usually made as shown in fig. 24. 



I have generally used them of larch timber cut to a length of eight feet, 



