F E N C E S G A T E S , A N D E B RI D G S . A P RA C T I C A L MA N U A L . EDITED BY RG E A MA T I G E O . R N . T HRE E HU ’ N D RE D N E W Y O RK O RAN G E J U D D C O MP A Y N , 1 8 9 2 . En ere accord in to Act of Con ress i n the ear 1887 b the t d, g g , y , y ' 0 DD CU . J U . , In the Offi e of the Librarian of Con r ess at Was hin ton c g , g . A ' RY E F T O . “ It is authoritatively stated that the bu il din g and main ten an ce of the farm fences in the United State s have , i cost more than the construction of the farm bu ldings . u . Be. this as it may, while large n mbers of works have been written upon rural architecture we believe this i s G the first publication specially devoted to Fences, ates B It a . and ridges . ims to be a practical work, showing the “evolution ' of the fence from the road barrier of logs, brush or sods to the latest improved forms of Th barbed wire . e numerous illustrations are mainly representations of fences, gates , etc . , in actual use . The chapter on fence law is n ecessarily condensed . The various judicial decisions upon the subject alone u would fill a large vol me . the This little work, first and only one of its char acter, is given to the public in the confident hope that it will prove specially u seful to farmers and village residents . B E F EN TA L O CONT TS. AP E I CH T R . Rail an d other Pri mitive Fen ces 7 17 ‘ Vir n ia Ra il Fen ce ; La in g a Rai l Fen ce ; Staki ng an d ir in g ; A Fen ce of take s a n d Rider s ; A Pole c e ; Fen ces for Soil Li a ble to Heave ; Other Pr imi i n s t ve Fe ce . A II CH PTER . ‘ Ston e an d Sod Fen ces 18 23 How a Ston e W a ll Shoul d be Bu ilt ; Bui ldi ng a Ston e Fen ce Tr u ck for Movin g Ston e s Re-in for cin g a Ston e n W a ll ; A Com posite Fen ce ; A Pr ai ri e Sod Fe ce . A III CH PTER . Boar d Fen ces 24. 30 Bu il di n g Boar d Fen ces ; Fen ces for Lan d Su bject to Overflow A Fen ce-Boar d Holder Re-in forcing a Board n Fe ce . PTE IV CHA R . Picket Fen ces 31 42 A Go od Gar den Fen ce ; A Sou thern Picket Fence ; Fen ces of Split Pickets ; O r n am enta l Picket Fe n ce s ; Ru stic Picket Fen ces ; Li ht Picket Fen ces ' Ha n d m a de W ire a n d Picket en ces ; Fen ce of Wire an d e s Pick t . AP E V CH T R . Ba r b-Wir e Fen ce 61 Stati stics an d Form s of Bar b W ir e How to Set Bar b W i re Fe n ce ; U n r eelin an d Stretchin g Bar b W ir e ; W ir e tr etc her s ; Buil g Wir e Fen ce on Uneven éroun g HAP E VI C T R . Fen ces of Bar b Wire an d Boar ds 62 67 Combin ed W ire an d Boar d Fen ce ; A Br acketed n c Do - r oof n c Fe e ; g P Fe e . AP E VII CH T R . The Best Hedge Plan ts ; Plan tin g an d Care of O sage Hed es ; Hedges for the Sou th ; Orn amental Hedges an d cr ech e . T VI TA BL E OF CON ENTS . Portable Fences an d Hurdles 75 85 Porta ble Boar d Fen ces ; Portable Fen ce s of Poles an d W ir e ; Porta ble Fen c es for W in dbr ea ks Poultr y Fen ces ' Porta ble Foldi ng Fen ce ; Tempo r ary n n s W ire an d Ir o e ce . CHAPTER I'. Fen ces for Str ea ms an d Gulli es 85 95 Flood Fen ces ; Porta ble Wir e Fen ce W aterin g Pla ce in a Creek. CHAP TER '. Maki ng an d Settin g Posts Ma kin g Fen ce Posts ; A Post Holder D riving Fen ce Posts by B an d To Drive Posts W ithou t S l itti r g ; A ‘ Pow er ful Post Dr iver Setting a Gate Po st ve fios ts ; Men di ng 3 Split Po st ; B oo k for W Posts Dr a w in g Fen ce Posts ; Li fting Po sts b an d ; Spli cing Fen ce Posts ; Applica tion of W oo d r vati ves Ir on n os s Fe ce P t . Gates an d Fas tenings 117-164 W ooden Gates ; A Very Su bstan ti al Farm Gate ; A Str on g a n d Nea t Gate ; Light Iron Gates ; Self-closin g Gates Gate for a Vill age Lo t A Chi nese Doo r or Gate S ri ng ; Lifting Gates ; Rusti c Gate s Balan ce Gates ; te for Sno W ea ther ; W es t In dia Far m Gate s Ga te Hin ges of ood Dou ble Gate s Do u ble Latc hed Gates ; Im proved Sli de Gate ; A Com bi ned Hin g e an d Slidi n g Ga te ; Gates of W oo d a n d Wi re ; A Goo d an d Chea p Farm Gate ; An Im proved W ir e Gate ; Taki ng u th e Sag in Ga tes ; Goo d Gate Latches ; Top Hinge 0p arm Ga Ga e w a s in W n F te t y ire Fe ce. Wi ckets an d Stiles 164-170 Iron Wickets ; W oo den W ickets ; Stil es for W ir e n Fe ces . Fen ce La w Fen cing Ou t or Fen cin g In Di vi sion Fen ces High w a n ces W ha is a a F n c Rai r oa n y Fe t Leg l e e ? l d Fe ces . Coun try Bridges an d Culverts 176-188 Stren h of Bridges ; Brac es an d Trusses ; Abu t fi ers an d Railin gs ; Bri dges for Gul lies ; Road ATES A I F E G ND BRDGE . ENC S, S HA P T E I C R . RAIL AND OTHERPRIMTIVE W OOD FENCES . IRGI I R L E E V N A AI F N C . e _ The zigzag rail fence was almost universally adopt d by the settlers in the heavily timbered portions of the u country, and countless tho sands of miles of it still ex the ist, though increasing scarcity of timber has brought u se . other styles of fencing largely into Properly built, on of good material, a clear, solid bed, kept free from w bushes and other gro th to shade it and cause it to rot, the rail fence is as cheap as any, and as effective and dur G able as can reasonably be desired . ood chestnut, oak, cedar, or juniper rails , or original growth heart pine, s r r will la t from fifty to a hund ed years, so that mate ial 1 en ei a of this sort, once in hand, will se ve one or two g 1 tions . This fence, ten ails high , and propped with two rails at each corner, requires twelve rails to the panel . ' If is fi ve the fence bed feet wide, and the rails are eleven d feet long, and are lappe about a foot at the locks , one panel will extend about eight feet in direct line . This a h w t kes seven thousand nine undred and t enty rails , or about . eight thousand rails to the mile . For a tempo u n a rary fence , one that can be put p and take down in (7) 8 E C E S GA TE B RID GE S. F N , S AND i short time, for making stock p ens and d vision fences , t ac i e not in ended to remain long in pl e, noth ng is cheap r e n or bett r . The bed for a fence of this ki d should not be less than five feet across , to enable it to stand before i l l ev n f t . e e ee as the w nd The rai s are best cut _ long, thi s makes a lock neither too long nor too short ; and the for ward end of each rail should come under the next one that is laid . The corners , or locks , as they are r h called, should also be well propped with st ong, w ole n ot e t .