FENCING. 



157 



sawii to six inches by three inches on the sides. Fig. 35 shows the 

 character of the mortised posts. 



From the top of the post to the upper edge of mortise a is five 

 inches, the space between a and b eight inches, FIO. 35. 



between b and c seven inches, between c and 

 d six inches, and from d, the lowest mortise-hole, 

 to bottom of the post is twenty-six inches. Six 

 inches are usually allowed between the lowest 

 mortise -hole and the ground, thus leaving 

 twenty inches to be inserted in the ground. 

 The rails for this kind of fence are .made ten 

 feet long, five inches broad, by one and a half 

 inch thick. 



It is of the greatest importance to have the 

 posts firmly fixed, and this is done by digging 

 pits for their reception, and having them firmly 

 blocked with stones and earth. 



Another kind of horizontal fence is made 

 with posts about the same size as the mortised 

 ones, or they may be of round timber, and the 

 rails the same dimensions, only that, instead of 

 the posts being mortised, the rails are nailed 

 on them. This makes a good fence when properly erected. 



Upright wooden fences erected for estate purposes are of several de- 

 scriptions, some being made of timber sawn to dimensions, and others 

 being erected with the thinnings from young plantations in the rough 

 natural state, without being dressed or sawn in any way. 



A good upright fence is made with round larch timber, the posts being 

 cut six feet long, and sawn to a size of three inches square ; the rails 

 being ten feet long, three and a half inches broad, by one inch thick ; 

 and the uprights being four feet long, two and a half inches broad, by 

 three quarters of an inch thick. The posts are put in five feet apart. 

 Fig. 36 gives a sketch of such a fence as described, a shows the post 

 fixed in its place ; b b the rails nailed to the post, the uppermost one 

 being about one inch from the top of the post, and the lower one 

 being about four inches above the soil ; c c the uprights in their 

 place. The uprights are usually put in about two inches apart. At 

 that width it would be rabbit-proof ; but if not wanted for that purpose, 

 they could be put in much wider. And of course a fence of this kind 

 could be made of any height ; and when properly painted or tarred it 

 lasts a long time. 



The cost of erecting an upright fence such as I have described may 



