THE CULTIVATOR. 
89 
is to be of stone. Such should be five feet high, two feet broad at bot¬ 
tom, and one foot at top, which will allow a flare of one inch to the foot 
on each surface. 
2. Where the materials of the fence are to be part stone, and part 
wood, which is sometimes termed half wall fence. In constructing this, 
posts are first set in the line at proper distances, the wall is then built 
2 | or 3 feet high, and boards nailed to the posts above to the required 
height, or two rails added, holes for which should be made in the 
posts previous to their being put down. The posts serve to steady 
and preserve the wall; and they should be of durable materials, as 
cedar, locust, &c. as their situation subjects them to rapid decay. 
Another mode is, to insert three foot posts into pieces of stout plank, 
or blocks of wood, to be worked into the wall 1£ or 2 feet above the 
surface of the ground, and to close to wall over them, and then add the 
board or rails as before, 
3. Wall with riders. This is built, of any convenient height, of 
stones; poles or rails are then laid lengthwise upon the top; stakes to 
cross are then inserted, which keep the poles in place, and support 
other poles or rails, placed upon them, which completes the structure. 
EARTHEN OR SOD FENCES. 
In many districts, where fencing materials of all kinds are scarce and 
dear, earthen or sod fences are resorted to. But they are generally 
badly constructed, and are of temporary duration. Like most other 
farm operations, there are more ways of doing the thing wrong than of 
doing it right; and if there are no rules laid down for doing right, the 
wrong is of course likely to prevail. To remedy the general want of 
information upon this subject, we give the substance of Anderson’s di¬ 
rections for constructing them, with the remark, that it might be advi¬ 
sable with us to make them of less height than he directs, and to crown 
them with a board or rail. 
He directs that sod fences, or dykes, be built three and a half, or four 
feet broad at the base, 15 or 18 inches at the top, and 5 feet high, and 
that the sods or turf be so laid on, having been first cut of the required 
size, in such a manner as that every sod from top to bottom, binds the 
joinings of the other below if, with as much accuracy as bricks in a 
well built wall. The uppermost course of sod is cut a little longer than 
those that are immediately below it, and placed with the grassy side up¬ 
permost, so as to project a little on each side, which is not only of use 
to throw the water a little off the wall or dyke, but is also of use in 
preventing sheep or cattle from attempting to jump over it. He has 
found, that a wall, whose foundation is stone, though the stones rose 
sao more than a foot, having the upper part finished with sod, or alter¬ 
nate layers of stone and sod, is probably more durable than any other 
kind of fence composed of either -of these materials. We doubt the 
utility of mixing stones and sods In our dry and hot climate- The 
grass would die, the earth crumble down and the stones fall. At the 
foot of the wall or dyke, on both sides, is dug a ditch 1| or 2 feet deep, 
leaving a ledget of a few inches broad on each side, that the dyke may 
not be undermined by the crumbling of the loose earth into the ditch. 
These ditches not only give the dyke an additional height, and keep its 
foundation dry, but are also of use to prevent cattle from coming close 
to it, and rubbing upon it or tearing it down with their horns, which 
they are very apt to do if this precaution be omitted. Earthen dykes 
-or fences can be built at about one-fourth part of the expense of stone 
walls, where stones are convenient, and if carefully built, may be kept 
In repair for any number of years, at a very small expense. The 
reader will find the subject more largely treated of in Anderson’s Es¬ 
says, vol. 1, p. 7, and in the 4to ed. of Dickson, voh L, p. 155, &c. Of 
the cuts below, fig. 1 shows a stone wall with a stone coping; figs. 2. 
Fig. 1. 
Fig. 5. 
3, 4 and 5 represent the manner of forming earthen fences, so as to 
prevent their crumbling down and being destroyed. Fig. 2 is a per¬ 
pendicular section; fig. 3 a side view; fig. 4 is a perpendicular view of 
each^row of turf as it lies in the fence; and fig. 5 is a view of a ha-ha 
or sunk fence, faced with stone, often constructed in parks, or where it 
is desired that the view shall not be obstructed. 
Fig. 2. 
Fig. 3. 
AGRICULTURAL MUSEUMS. 
The Scotch, who we have often commended for their agricultural 
societies, and agricultural improvements, are adding to their means of 
information, the important advantages of agricultural museums. Three 
of these museums have been established by individual enterprise, since 
1830, at Stirling, Edinburgh and Perth- The third report of the 
Messrs. Drummonds, at Stirling, has just reached us. It contains 160 
pages, 50 of which are copied with communications from the most emi¬ 
nent practical men. We avail ourselves of the language of Mr. Archi¬ 
bald Gorrie, to make known to our readers the nature of these collec¬ 
tions, and some of the advantages which are likely to result from them. 
“ In these museums, which are open to the public, specimens of the 
various productions of the garden, the field, and the forest, with mo¬ 
dels and improved implements of husbandry, are here exhibited. In 
one place may be seen the different varieties of grain and pulse, in 
straw and in sample, now in general cultivation, or recently introduced 
from foreign parts, with explanations respecting soil, culture, weight, 
climate, acreable produce, &c. by which means the farmer may easily 
avail himself of the collected experience of his brethren, and be in¬ 
duced to contribute in return. In another place appears a collection of 
the different species and varieties of roots now under cultivation, a£ 
fording the same advantages. Ample collections of living and dried 
specimens of grasses, in scientific arrangement, form another interest¬ 
ing feature in the exhibition, pointing to the farmer, in language as 
strong as it is in the collective power of grass to express, a proffer of 
service, whereby he can improve its condition, and, with much advan¬ 
tage to himself convert it into flesh. And the various improved and 
rare productions of the garden that appear at, and give additional in¬ 
terest to these museums, show that nothing shall he wanting on the 
part of horticulturists in promoting improvements in the field. To the 
intelligent and enterprising young raaa, desirous of pursuing the im¬ 
portant art of agriculture as a profession, or of becoming a gentle¬ 
man’s land-steward or overseer, such schools of instruction must be of 
immense value, as there he can have, for days, weeks, or months to¬ 
gether, opportunities of minutely examining the specimens, labels, and 
appropriate books—of coming in constant contact with the most scien¬ 
tific and practical agriculturists of the day—thus affording him the 
means of storing his mind with the most valuable facts, in a mode not 
more inviting than it is novel and expeditious.” 
The first section of the report is descriptive of soils, of which nu¬ 
merous specimens are deposited, gives their classification, their quali¬ 
ties as indicated by the natural growth of plants upon them, and their 
constituent parts- It describes a geologico-agricultural cabinet of hand 
specimens of the principal rocks and other strata that constitute the 
crust of the earth. It gives also a copious explanation of scientific 
terms employed in agricultural science. We close this article, for the 
present, with a further extract, and one of deep interest, from this 
branch of the report 
“ Elementary Substances .—The great mass of the earth’s crust, how¬ 
ever, variously combined, is found to consist of but few simple sub¬ 
stances, vis: silica, or the matter of quartz, alumina, or pure clay, 
lime, magnesia, potash, and oxide of iron, of which specimens are here 
given, the five preceding as well as the last being oxides or rusts, the 
state in which they exist at the surface; but reduced by the chemist to 
their most simple state, their metallic base, they become the combusti¬ 
ble elements, silicon, aluminum, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and 
iron, in which state they are supposed by some to exist in the interior 
-of .the globe; -and mixtures of which, being found on coming into con¬ 
tact with water or moist air, to cause fire and explosion, from thence 
have been deduced the phenomena of earthquakes and volcanic action. 
aSimple Minerals .-—These elementary substances are found combin¬ 
ed with one another in certain proportions, forming simple minerals, 
and so called on account of their homogenous or uniform aspect; the 
six of which specimens are given, with the proportions afforded by 
analysis marked on them, occurring either simple, or aggregated into 
the compound rocks, compose the principal bulk of the primitive, and 
likewise a great part of the secondary formations. 
“ Stratified, or Rocks of aqueous origin .—Arranged into beds or 
strata by the agency of water. 
