rOR COLONISTS AND EMIGRANTS. 
133 
ground, and stand out above the surface high 
enough for the intended purpose ; the stouter 
end should be cut to a point with the bill- 
hook, that it may be readily driven into the 
ground. These stakes should be removed to 
the line of the intended fence, and left in 
sufficient heaps to supply the space from one 
heap to the next. While the heaps of v^aste 
and underwood are being burned, let the 
pointed ends of these stakes be placed in the 
fire long enough to char the surface ; it is the 
best preventive that can be found against 
decay ; far better than dipping them in pitch 
or tar, and very much less expensive. There 
are many ways of fencing, but this is one. 
Another is to drive the stakes down a foot 
apart ; and as they have no support, let them 
go down two feet into the ground. When 
these are done in line, split stronger stakes, 
and fasten them in the way of rails. The only 
material required in greater abundance is that 
for nailing. The fence would then appear 
as in the following cut. 
Splitting the rail that goes lengthways makes 
a flat side to go next the stakes ; the rails 
should be nailed to every stake. A top rail 
alone will make it very strong. By driving a 
stake down at every foot, the opening will be 
about nine inches, not large enough to admit 
a sheep ; but they may be closer ; and seven 
feet stakes will make a five-foot fence very 
strong ; that is, two feet under the surface, 
and five feet above it. Where the fence is 
only to keep out cattle and horses, a post and 
rail fence will do ; this will require the posts 
to be seven feet long, and the larger the better, 
up to the thickness of a man's thigh above the 
ground, and the two feet under ground still 
larger ; holes must be dug, two feet deep, to 
hold these posts, which must be placed from 
seven to ten feet apart, and well rammed in. 
The rail must be composed of pieces of wood 
of a right length to meet one another at the 
posts; these would be the better for splitting, and 
may be composed of branches or sticks, from 
four to six inches through ; cut them to reach 
from the outside of one post to the outside of 
another, because they must lap over at the 
posts, and one spike nail must join the two. 
When the posts are fixed, make two 
shallow saw-cuts at the same side, within 
four inches of the top, and four inches 
apart; chisel out this width of four 
inches, that the rail may rest upon the 
ledge thus formed ; the rail that goes 
next the post must be narrowed, if neces- 
sary, to go in close, and the two should be 
mitred, to lap over each other, and the same 
spike driven through both. Others will mitre 
them sideways, and drive in two spikes, thus: — 
the advantage of this is, that both rails rest 
on the shoulder, whereas if they are made to 
lap over each other the other way, one only 
rests on the shoulder ; that is to say, the 
inner one, the outer one being held only by 
the spike. 
These rude fences are the best, the cheapest, 
and most durable. But there are many others. 
If you can saw your timber into planks, you 
may make a close fence by posts and double 
rails, and nailing the planks thereon. Many, 
however, will be obliged, for economy, to dig 
deep trenches, and form the soil taken out 
into a bank. In some kinds of soil this will 
do ; and if the soil be wet, the ditch may serve 
as a drain as well as a boundary fence ; if 
dry, the ditch must be deep enough to deter 
animals from getting down into it and break- 
ing the bank. As vegetation is rapid in many 
of the emigrating countries, hedges of the 
prevailing plant for that purpose, or of any 
rapid growing plant that would form one, may 
be made at the same time as the fence is made, 
so that it may grow up an impenetrable barrier, 
in the course of time. If you have occasion 
for a good deal of regular timber, you will 
have slabs cut off from the exterior parts of 
the trunks, and these slabs are useful in fence 
making ; they may be used either for the posts 
or rails of rough fencing, keeping the flat 
faces on the side you want to nail the rails, to 
hold them well together. Much, however, 
depends on the extent of the fence, and its 
strength, form, and height, must be decided 
upon accordingly. 
Another kind of fence is the ha-ha, which 
consists of a high bank, formed by digging 
away the ground from the proper level, and is 
of great service when you do not want 
the view to be hidden. The soil taken out 
