FARM GATES. 
57 
The cost of this dwelling complete and painted, 
aside from the washroom and woodhouse, was about 
$800—including them, $1,000. The whole group 
of buildings cost about $3,000. 
I shall give plans of other farm buildings hereafter, 
in which I shall study to combine comfort, conve¬ 
nience, and elegance in their arrangement. 
L. F. Allen. 
Black Rock , December, 1844. 
Description. — This 
gate is 11 or 11 £ feet 
wide, and 4* feet high. 
There are two pieces of 
scantling, one for the 
back, 3 by 4, and the 
other for the front, 3 by 
3. The bars or slats, 
six in number, are 4 
inches wide and 1 inch 
thick, after being dress¬ 
ed. The braces and the 
uprights are of the same 
size and materials as the 
bars; two pieces of each, 
to be firmly secured by 
rivets, or large wrought 
nails to clinch. The bars are let into the scantlings 
by mortice and tenon, there being a shoulder of half 
an inch for each tenon on the lower side of the bar, 
except for the one at bottom ; in this it is placed at 
the top to prevent the bar from being split by any ob¬ 
struction underneath. The scantling and bars are 
secured to each other by £ inch pins. The spaces 
between the bars, counting from the bottom, are 3£, 
4j, 5£, 7£, and 9 inches. The spring, for which, as 
indeed for the whole gate, nothing can be better than 
yellow pine, is 2 inches square at the lower end—the 
elastic part is H by | of an inch—and the upper end 
1 h by 1. It is fastened to the two lower bars by half 
inch pins with shoulders, draw-bored and held tight 
by nails. The latch is 1 i by 1 inch, working through 
the space between the uprights, and a mortice in the 
front scantling; and the catch is fixed in such a man¬ 
ner that the latch shall play horizontally. 
However well constructed the gate, the work is but 
half done unless it is well swung; and there is a rule 
for doing this, by following which no one can go 
amiss. The most suitable and convenient hinges are 
hooks and eyes, made of f inch bar iron. The part 
containing the eye or hole, is simply a screw bolt, 
about 5J inches long for the top pair, and 1| inches 
longer for the bottom pair—with the addition also to the 
last, of a shoulder in the form of a screw tap, closely 
attached to the bolt at the distance of 2| inches from 
the centre of the eye. The object of this shoulder is 
to resist the weight of the gate and prevent it from 
settling down ; and the greater length from the shoul¬ 
der to the eye is to give the gate a tendency, when 
opened, to close by its own gravity. The hook of the 
upper pair of hinges is to pass through the post, and 
be fastened by an iron key: that for the lower pair 
needs only to be driven intQ the post a sufficient 
depth. The posts should be from 10 to 12 inches 
square, dressed true the whole length, and let into the 
ground fully 5 or 5£ feet; and should be 6 inches 
higher than the fram» of the gate The first post 
FARM GATES. 
There is no part of a farm enclosure which is 
more important than a good gate. In the hope of con¬ 
tributing something to this matter, I venture to sub¬ 
mit the annexed plan as being the most perfect of 
many varieties that I have used, and many more that 
I have examined. I met it some years ago in Mary¬ 
land, and I think nothing can excel it in all the requi¬ 
sites of a convenient and well constructed gate 
Farm Gate.—Fig. 9.. 
to be set is that to which the gate is to be attach¬ 
ed, and it should stand exactly perpendicular. Af¬ 
ter being set (and the earth thoroughly rammed), 
place the gate against the post, so that the in¬ 
ner side of the post and the inner side of the gate- 
frame shall correspond. Bore the hole for the hook 
of the upper hinge, which will be about 5 inches from 
the inner side of the post; insert the hook and hang 
the gate upon it. The point of insertion for the 
lower hook will be l£ inches farther from the inner 
edge of the post than the upper one, to allow for the 
greater length of the bolt of the bottom pair of hinges; 
and the lower hook should not be driven so near to 
the post as the upper one by £ of an inch. The other 
post is then to be set so that the gate will close even¬ 
ly against it. When the gate is shut, the bars will 
be horizontal, but there will be a slight inclination of 
the gate when viewed in a line with the posts. As it 
is opened, it is gradually thrown out of plumb, in 
order to afford the gate a sufficient gravity to close of 
itself. If in time it should get somewhat out of 
swing, it may be put to rights again in a few moments 
by means of the screws. 
A neat and simple cap for the posts is made out of 
three pieces of inch plank. The bottom piece may be 
an inch larger than the post, each way, with the edges 
rounded ; the middle piece the size of the post, with 
square edges, and the top piece the size of the bottom, 
with the edges also rounded. The cap contributes very 
much to the durability of the post. 
To fix a gate completely is not a light job ; but it is 
well worth the trouble, for it will last and look well 
for 15 or 20 years. Indeed, I know of one which the 
owner assured me had been in constant use for 40 
years. 
The latch should always be kept well greased. An 
auger hole in the post to hold a piece of tallow, will 
afford the means of greasing it whenever it is neces- 
y. T. S. P. 
Virginia, Dec. 12, 1844. 
