FENCING. 



169 



a good thrust from a passing cart. I find that by adopting the following 

 method of fixing them they seldom get out of order. I fix stays to the 

 posts, as shown at a a. in fig. 46, and the same from the point b, and 

 from opposite b. This gives a great deal more trouble in fixing them, 

 but the extra trouble and ex- 

 pense are worth while for gates 

 fixed on farm-roads or principal 

 entrances, where there is a con- 

 siderable amount of traffic. No 

 moderate thrust will move the 

 post in any way. The post is V .^ VV .^ J ^^^ CTTO 

 made eight feet long, and eight 

 inches on the side of the square. ,.-' 



The sole or bottom part is 



about seven feet long, and six _...-__'.'. ..,-;.'. 



inches on the side of the square L 



the stays being made of any 



rough strong piece of timber. The post is mortised into the sole as 

 shown, and the stays are also mortised into the sole at one end, and into 

 the post at the other. 



The gate-hinges should be strong, but not too heavy ; those I generally 

 use weigh six Ib. each, and are made according to fig. 47. 

 I use these at both top and bottom. It is usual to use 

 only a very short hinge at the bottom ; but it is prefer- ^ 



able to have it as long as the top hinge, as a long one binds the gate 

 better together. 



It is a good plan with many gates, and more especially where they 

 are heavy, to have the lower hinge made so as to work into a socket, 

 which is let into a stone firmly fixed in the ground close under the 

 post. This method takes a great weight off the post, and works 

 admirably. 



In all cases the gate should be hung so that when it is opened it will 

 shut itself again, and this is contrived by having what is termed a " knee " 

 upon the lower hinge, which, when the gate is opened, throws the lower 

 part of it further from the post than the top part ; or the same thing 

 takes place when the lower crook is kept further out from the post than 

 the higher one. I always make farm-gates shut against the post. I 

 find them less liable to get out of order in this way than when hung 

 between the posts. 



The springs or catches of the gates are made according to the fol- 

 lowing shape, fig. 48. 





