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IN SCOTLAND .

30.5

able and lasting for this species of fence. Quarried sand-stone, if durable in the open air, and not liable to moulderby the influence of the weather, answers sufficiently well forthis fence.

Although, at first sight, the open portion of this fence mayappear slight, Jong experience has established its efficacy in de-terring animals from attempting to get over, in a greater degreeperhaps than a more solid wall even of greater height, besidesbeing less expensive. For sheep fences in mountain pastures,the height of this wall ought to be at least five feet, or five feetand a half. The solid double part at the bottom ought to beat least thirty-two inches thick, tapering equally on both sidesto eighteen inches, and forty-four inches above the surface ofthe earth, where the regularly built wall ends, and the openwork begins, which is to be carried twenty-two inches higher.The cxpence of such a wall depends on the facility of obtain-ing materials, and the distance of their carriage ; but, on theaverage, may amount to eight or ten shillings the rood ofnineteen feet in length, by five feet high. A low'er wall offour and a half feet high, and its other dimensions propor-tionally reduced, may answer for cattle or Leicester sheep, inarable and pasture fields; but the Cheviot, the black-faced,or other mountain breeds of sheep, require the full size of theGalloway dike, which is sometimes made five and a half feethigh, to keep them within their pastures, and to protect ad-joining fields or plantations against their depredations. Afew inches of additional height, in the open work of the Gal-loway dike, adds very little to the expence.

In the common practice of Scotland , the dry stone-wallis carried up double, like the under portion of the Gallo-way dike, to the height of four and a half or five feet, towhich is added a turl or sod coping of six to nine inches;but jpf stones can be obtained for that purpose, they arenow generally preferred. The best coping, now much usedin the south-east of Scotland , is to finish off the double dike,by one range of large rough stones, set on edge, and firmly

VOL. I.

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