48 
Field Gates. 
posts “ on a gravelly cutting had never been touched since they 
were put up, thirty years ago, at which time they were charred 
and well tarred while hot.” A telegraph engineer already 
quoted writes : “ 1 am bound to confess that we have found little 
or no difference in the action of the soils on the poles. As a 
matter of fact, the soil gets no chance of acting on the poles. 
The action of the sun on the poles causes the creosote to gradu- 
ally trickle down and form a protecting layer just at the wind 
and water line. Of course, it also penetrates the ground and 
impregnates it for several inches round the pole.” “ I have 
sometimes had a suspicion that in loose sandy soil the poles were 
not quite so sound as in stiffer soils, in consequence of the rains 
washing the creosote away from the poles, traces of it having 
been found in wells some distance away.” 
What has been said on fixing gate posts states nearly all that 
can be done to give the soil “no chance to act (injuriously) on 
the timber,” and to protect it at that vulnerable part — the 
ground-line, viz., to creosote suitable timber, or fix posts in 
concrete, or to char and tar above and below the ground-line. 
Charring is the earliest known application, known in remote 
ages and to many races. Last, and most important, is to use, 
as far as is possible, sound heartwood well seasoned, and this 
whether otherwise treated or not. All sapwood should be re- 
moved. A small piece of heartwood is better than a larger 
section made up of sapwood ; the latter soon rots, and the post 
stands in a loose socket. Much may be learned from the 
management of telegraph posts, where the practice is, at stated 
intervals, to remove the soil for examination. If there is decay 
from sapwood, the decayed parts are removed, and when 
creosoting has not been done, re-charring and re-tarring are 
resorted to. The soil is replaced, and the pole has a new lease of 
life. This is laborious and expensive work, very trying on an 
estate with perhaps dual interest and the lack of division of labour. 
Where, however, it can be done it will repay the outlay. 
The Hanging and Fastening of Gates. 
As a rule, gates should open into the fields, especially in 
pastures. Some animals are clever at opening gates, and their 
operations are greatly assisted if, when they have sprung the 
fastener, they can push the gate from them. It is, however, 
sometimes fortunate when the rule is not enforced ; for, when 
the ground rises sharply into the field, it requires the point of 
the gate to be unduly raised to clear this rise, and too much 
“ bang” is given in closing, or the bottom rail has to be kept 
