168 



THE BOOK OF THE LANDED ESTATE. 



The wood used for these gates is good foreign timber. The heads are 

 four feet six inches long, and three inches thick by three inches broad. 

 The heels are the same length, three inches thick and four inches 

 broad. The bars are sawn to a thickness of three inches broad and one 

 and a quarter inch thick. The rails are all mortised into the head and 

 heel. The top rail is made three inches thick and three inches broad, and 



Fro. 45. 



\ 



=a 



LJ 



rounded at the top. We put six bars in ; it makes a much stronger and a 

 more compact gate than a five-barred one. A diagonal bar runs from the 

 front end under the top bar to the foot of the heel, and is mortised into 

 the top bar at the one end and into the heel at the other. Two .upright 

 rails are put on, as shown on the sketch ; they are made three inches 

 broad and one and a quarter inch thick, and are mortised into the top 

 rail and nailed to all the lower ones. 



This kind of gate is supplied to us, made of sound foreign timber, 

 at 8s. each ; this includes the value of the timber, but no painting. 

 I have never found larch timber do well for gates ; it is very apt to 

 split and twist from the heat of the sun. It is advisable, also, to paint 

 all the gates on an estate. Many proprietors paint with white alone ; 

 this looks well for a time, but very soon gets a dirty look. A slate 

 or blue colour looks well, and lasts much longer than white. When 

 appearance is not of much consequence, tar is about the cheapest 

 material for protecting the timber with, and is a very good pre- 

 servative. A very useful " paint " for gates, fences, and other wood- 

 work of that kind, is composed of one gallon gas-tar, one pint tur- 

 pentine, two ounces vitriol; mix the ingredients and apply in the usual 

 manner. 



Posts for field-gates should be made from oak timber or good sound 

 larch. In the north of Scotland I have seen old natural Scots pine 

 last for twenty years as posts. If the posts are not firmly fixed, the 

 whole gate gets out of order. They should be fixed so as to withstand 



