HOUSE AND GARDEN 
May, 1915 
34i 
To remove the cut-and-dried 
appearance of an iron or 
wire fence plant with vines 
fence, the matters of 
construction are next 
of importance. 
Whether it be board 
and picket or any of 
the variety of wood, 
picket or iron, the 
main necessity for 
permanent construc¬ 
tion is the upright, 
the other parts being 
readily replaced. Use 
the woods least af¬ 
fected by contact with 
the earth, preferably 
locust or chestnut. 
Insist that it be sea¬ 
soned wood and that 
the ends which will 
be sunk in the earth 
are treated for several 
inches above grade to 
prevent wet-rot above ground. The posts can be 
charred over a fire, which, by the bye, is the Japan¬ 
ese treatment for all the woods they use in fence 
construction ; or they can be painted with white¬ 
wash, petroleum, or tar creosote. The last is more 
effective when applied hot and put on in two or 
more coats. See that the tops are also treated. 
Wet^rot above ground, which can often be seen 
decaying these posts, will be further prevented by 
grading away the earth so that a pool cannot form 
at the base of the posts. Moreover, the tops of the 
posts should be beveled, to assist water in running 
off, as the wet-rot can readily, start at the top once 
a water pocket has been made. The posts should 
be set three feet in the ground and eight or ten 
feet apart. For permanence, the rails should be 
let into the posts either at the sides or through 
the center, and bolted. Galvanized nails and bolts 
should be insisted upon. For a cheap fence use 
4" x 4" posts, 2" x 4" rails, and pickets %" square 
Such a half-wall, half trelliage, is 
always an interesting treatment 
and will prove decorative when 
the planting is further along 
set 2" apart; a more substantial fence can be 
made of 6" x 6 " posts and pickets 1" or 
square, the rails 2" x 4", mentioned above, 
being sufficiently strong to sustain the pickets. 
According to the width of the pickets and 
the distance they are set apart will depend 
much of the grace and lightness of the de¬ 
sign. This, together with the treatment of 
the post terminals and the gate, will decide 
the architectural character of the fence. 
The possibilities of the decorative forms 
of fences are infinite, the first step above the 
ordinary picket and board fence being the 
decorative treatment of the post. This con¬ 
sists of three parts—the base, shaft and cap. 
If the classical mode is desired, the classical 
mouldings are used, and the shaft may be 
plain or paneled and the top terminating in a 
finial, such as a vase, urn, ball or pineapple. 
The rails also can be elaborated with mould¬ 
ings. As a general 
rule, it is best to see 
that the posts are 
never heavier than the 
general line of the 
fence—if the fence is 
made throughout of 
wood. In the instance 
of using brick posts, 
iron is the best 
medium for pickets 
and rails. The com¬ 
bination of brick 
posts and wooden 
rails and pickets is 
rarely successful. 
A post over 5 inches 
square should not be 
of one piece: the core 
should be some damp- 
resisting wood, cy- 
When the top of the gate is concave the terminal weight of the gates is lessened and the need for 
bracing eliminated. Aymar Embury, II, architect 
