HOUSE AND GARDEN 
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154 
A rude gale, the product of New England environment, with the balance effected 
by stones at the end of the spar 
This simple principle of balance seems to solve the problem 
of a non-shifting farm gate. Even the old form first mentioned 
can be altered to embrace the principle. It can, too, be elaborated 
into a variety of designs; the more especially if a foot gate be 
incorporated on the side of the big gate next to the supporting- 
post, thus necessitating the elevation of the balance spar. 
Two things should be borne in mind in its construction: that 
The long spar works on the stone principle—balanced on the post and turning 
on a pin 
the gudgeon or hinge pins of the gate proper should be in line 
with the pin on which the spar swings, and that the counterbalance 
should just fall short of a true balance. This last insures the 
repose of the gate and does not allow tilting. If there are two 
hinges on the gate, the upper should be bolted to the latter as 
near the gudgeon pin and edge of the gate as is practical, for the 
Where the spar picks up the gate from the middle, a greater weight is necessary; 
here a mill stone 
leverage on this member is considerable, if the gate be slammed. 
It might be well also that the top rail of the gate be from two 
to three inches thick (or reinforced at the back) to resist the 
strain exerted by the counter-balance when its sidewise course 
is suddenly checked. 
In the gate herein pictured, the author was limited by two con¬ 
ditions. First, it was necessary that the foot-gate be located 
under the spar, and second, that the size and shape spar which 
The counterbalance should fall just short of a true balance, ensuring repose and 
preventing tilting 
September, 1914 
approximated the desired shape and size was more easily obtain¬ 
able than the absolute form first intended. Crooked timber is 
generally difficult to get in just the size and shape one wishes. 
It is therefore best to select a spar that has possibilities of adap¬ 
tation and then work it into the general design; the problem in¬ 
volved is sure to be interesting. 
Oak or locust will make the best spar; second best, chestnut.. 
In the case in hand, maple was used as being handy. Being well 
filled with several applications of creosote stain, its chief objection 
should be obviated. The main post was of seasoned locust; in¬ 
verted to gain the necessary overhang for the pin at the top. This, 
was well coated with pine tar at the bottom, to a point just above 
the soil and was set five feet deep on a footing of concrete and 
encased in a shell of concrete about fourteen inches thick. This, 
shell stopped just short of the grade and was pitched and smoothed' 
and coated with tar before grading. 
The lesser posts were of chestnut, set down three feet and cased 
in like manner. The gates were of doubled up seven-eighths 
spruce fencing, and the hinges of old-fashioned strap type hung 
on gudgeons and secured, in the case of the big gate, with bolts„ 
and in the small one with old wrought nails. Before the great- 
spar was in place, the gate sagged three-quarters of an inch only- 
at the extreme of its swing; with the balance the sag is about 
three-sixteenths — just enough to rub on the rest when being 
closed. 
The fencing inclosing the side of the recess is but temporary.. 
It is intended to round the stone wall in to meet the flanking posts,, 
in a later improvement. The gateway itself is not really a farm 
gate, being the barrier to an approach through fields to a small 
country house, in which the dominant note is restful simplicity. 
No matter how long or how peculiarly constructed the fence or 
wall, the gate is always the most interesting feature, and its treat¬ 
ment from an artistic standpoint as well as the utilitarian should 
be seriously considered by the man who sets about to develop his. 
country place. As shown above, the treatment of the farm gate 
can be of wide latitude : its possibilities almost without limit. One 
may evolve new ideas through a process of well-judged combina¬ 
tions, but whatever the result, it should be limited by the prin¬ 
ciples of good construction. Under all circumstances it should' 
belong to the place in which it is used, suggesting in either line 
or detail the family resemblance to the all-important flanking 
barrier. 
Unfortunately, many old examples of gates that are artistically 
perfect are practically nil in utilitarian value. It is not pleasant 
to contemplate a delightful old design in which it has been neces¬ 
sary to use methods foreign to the original conventions in order 
that the ever-to-be-considered question of gravity may be over¬ 
come. The cannon ball and chain, the modern devices of levers,, 
are all crudely out of place on a gate of the type shown here.. 
It were best first to comply with the laws governing gravity and 
the strains of gates, and to embody these in with the plan for its 
artistic lines. 
And herein are the general principles to be remembered : that 
a gate is in repose both when it is shut and when it is open, and 
in both positions it should have something to rest upon. When 
closed, the post on which it is hung, being secured to the barrier 
of which it is a part, should be capable of resisting the strain. 
One can readily see that the weak point is when the gate is oft" its 
two supports. Very naturally, the wider the gate the greater the 
strain, and this at once returns us to the type shown above where 
the spar, pivoted on top of a good stout post, solves the problem' 
of leverage by taking most of the strain upon itself. A good 
strong post, set true and strengthened so as to resist the shifting? 
caused by frost and thaw, a beam of sufficient strength and weight 
— these are enough to dispose of all gate worries if the principles 
noted above have been observed. 
