58 
Field Gates. 
the parts being carefully adapted to the work they have to 
perform. 
The width of opening between the gate posts is 9 ft., the 
extreme length of the gate 9 ft. G in., and the height from the 
ground to the top rail 4 ft. G in. 
Formerly the posts, both hanging and slamming posts, were 
made of oak, and in some districts of stone. The oak posts, 
when charred up to the ground line, lasted extremely well, but 
their cost is too great for them to be used, now that creosoting 
has shown us how to preserve the cheaper home-grown and 
foreign timbers. When of oak, the hanging post was made 
12 in. by 12 in., neatly dressed to the ground line, the slamming 
post being dressed to 10 in. square. 
The gates are so hung that, if carelessly left open, they will 
always slam to and fasten. 
In situations where the soil is very light or spongy, additional 
stability may be given to the heel post (fig. 21) by nailing on to 
it slabs of timber 3 ft. long and 
12 in. by 2 in., or any convenient 
dimensions, one slab being placed 
on the inside of the post, just 
under the ground, and the other at 
the outside and fixed at the bottom ; 
these give six or more feet of ad- 
ditional area as support for the 
post. 
Yorkshire stone is objectionable, 
though in many districts it is cheap 
in first cost ; but the posts made 
of that material are very liable to 
be broken by carts running against 
them, and by other causes, especially 
as, after a few years, they get very 
tender at the ground line. 
Of late years, in this district, 
in. by 10 in. in section, 9 ft. long, 
have been exclusively used for field gates : they are very 
economical, durable, and do not require painting, though I 
recommend that they should be occasionally tarred with 
Stockholm or gas tar. In situations where appearance is 
an object, they may be painted, but it will be found that 
three or more coats will be required to make a good job, as the 
creosote comes through the first coats. A better plan would be 
to cover the posts with two coats of cement wash, which can be 
readily made by mixing Portland cement with water until the 
creosoted Baltic posts, 10 
