AND FENCES. 
53 
for the shameful freedom given to animals in many town and village 
streets, such fences might be made so much lower and more open 
than now, as materially to lessen their cost. If the reader will turn 
to the vignette at the head of this chapter, he will see a form of 
iron posts and rods well adapted to a suburban place. 
We would suggest that all fences, not of a massive character, 
should have an open space under them, so that a scythe may pass 
clear through. No person should consider his grounds well kept 
unless the sidewalk in front or around his premises, is as neatly 
kept as the part within the enclosure. An open space under the 
fence, through which the blade of a scythe may glide, greatly facili¬ 
tates the mowing of the lawn on both sides of the line. 
For large suburban places, we would suggest that a sod fence, 
with light posts, and one or two horizontal bars above it, may be 
made both elegant and sufficient as a 
street protection. Fig. io represents a 
section of the fence proposed, the dotted 
line a a being the natural surface. The 
sod should be laid with a slight inclina¬ 
tion downwards towards the centre of 
the fence, so that rains striking the sides 
will have a tendency to soak into, in¬ 
stead of being shed from them. If the sods are of a soil retentive 
of moisture (and most soils which grow a good sod are), the sides 
of the fence, if kept well mowed, will make a beautiful low green 
hedge. In very dry weather, of course, such fences would suffer 
and turn brown, though even then they will not be unsightly if their 
form is good. If water and watering facilities are at hand, they 
may be kept bright at all seasons. The little hollows at either side 
must also be kept shaved close, and will add to the beauty of the 
yard by giving a slight roll in the surface all around the outside 
boundary. The bottom and sides of the hollows should be made 
so that a hand mowing-machine can run upon them easily. The 
right side of the section was intended to represent a single slope, 
and the left side a hollow with a level bottom, and the slope carried 
farther off. The latter is the better manner. On Fig. n, several 
bottom-lines are shown to suit different requirements in making 
Fig. io. 
