174 FENCES.

place it requires more rails, on account of
the crooked direction, than would be neces-
sary for a straight fence ; and then, besides,
it takes up a great deal of ground. For they
can only plough and cultivate up to the
outer angles of the fence on each side,
which leaves a space of several feet be-
tween, useless.

‘A better way, therefore, to make the
rail fence is to put posts into the sround,
and then cut holes through the posts, and
put the ends of the rails into the holes.”

“Why don’t they nail them to the posts?”
asked Rollo.

“ Because the rails are so large, and irreg-
ular in shape, that it would be very difficult
to nail them; and the cost of the nails, too,
would be considerable.

“ Board fences come next. When the
timber of a country becomes more scarce, 80
that it is not easy to get rails, they use
boards.”

“Yes, sir,” said Rollo; “and they can nail
the boards.”’

“Yes, they put posts down sometimes,
and nail the boards to the posts; and some-
times they drive stakes down and support