Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-11-15
Agritnttnral.
How to make Stone Wall.

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cI out of a cart i'll zig-zag form-the own
crs Of which deserve to be indicted by
grand jury and sentenced to spend their
d,ys wandering upon "John Browns Tract,
without benefit of clergy-but straight,
firm, trim-built ones, such as farmers, wor-
thy Of the name, adorn their premises with.
There is right and wrong way to build
walls, as well as to do other things, and if
we commence right we shall be quite sure
to end right. In soft and loose soil there
should be ditch dug the width of the bot
tom of the wall and from one to two feet in
depth, aud filled in with such small stone
as are unfit to put in the body of the wall
This serves to drain off the water from the
surface and prevent the ground from heav-
ing. which is the usual cause of walls fall
/ lown. If they pass over ridges and
Il. oss holows, there should be outlets at
I. ut angles with the ditch at the bottom
e.. me ridges to convey away the water
o.4arwise the ditch will remain full, and in
cp,d weather freeze and gradually force out
the stone from their position when the wall
OF course, will tumble down.
When the small stone are filled in the
ditch, draw and roll on them the large ones
to form the bottom of the wall they should
perfectly solid, as the whole structure rests
upon them. The base Of the wall should
not be more than two and half feet wide,
unless the stones are very large, when they
may project beyond the average width
Do not lay more than one course of stone
without binding them by others that reach
through the entire width never suffer the
sides to be laid up and the centre filled in
1fT. u,
and send him away without his dinner-he
deserves to fast for the imposition. 1t is
cheaper to build the wall when the stone
;sr drawn and finish the work up at once,
loving nothing behind to be cleared up
h1. this is not always practicable nor very
essential. wall is strongest that has
gradual slope on both sides from the bot
ton upwards four feet is a sufficient
height, but they may be built four and
hau feet if preferred There should be
course of large stone laid upon the top to
prevent the displacement of the smaller
ones by animals and bipeds, and to give it
more finished appearance some place
the earth taken from the ditch against the
wall, forming a light bank, but this should
not be done, as the action Of frost upon it.
has a tendancy to loosen the stone.
| have said nothing about putting sticks
III the wall; they are an advantage and
when walls are built of cobble stone sticks
should invariably be used They add some
what to the expense, but supposing that
farmers act ON the principle that whatever
is worth doing is worth doing well, the in
crease cost should not prevent their use
They are easily and quickly made, either by
being rived out of any free-grained wood.
or by saving that which is tough or cross
grained into halEinch boards and cutting
them the desired length by this last meth
od If laid in regular courses, a beautiful
and permanent wall is made The sticks
or boards, on account of the dry state they
are kept IN by the stone, last long time.
Some object to walls as being expensive to
build, and often needing repairs, and as
being cumbrous and unsightly but think
those who keep a correct account of the
cost Of construction and material. will find
the balance in their favor when compared
with the cost Of rail or board fence. Be
sides, the material Of the former is indies
tructble, while that composing the latter
Is very perishable and each year is becom-
ing more scarce and expensive
walls also answer the double purpose of
rdding the land Of stone and as a safe
guard for its productions. As to repairs, a
good wall will need none for the first dozen
years after that time an occasional spot
may need some attention, but much of it
will stand firm one half Of the three score
and ten years of mans allotted life while a
rail or board fence will often be prostrated
almost its entire length, and must as often
be rebuilt, with a loss of material. A rail
Is also found thrown off, or board loose
frequently during the season As regards
beauty, &c, think welEanished, svste-
matical wall, when contrasted with the IL
regular, ,dilapidated worm fence of the coun-
try, will not suffer in comparison. A nice
board or picket fence may be as ornamen-
tai l am inclined to think that some far
mers suppose walls to be sort of halfhar-
dy production, and they need protection
from the manner they screen them from the
elements and observation, by means of the
elders, brambes, thistles, weeds, &c, that
are suffered to grow mp around them. This
would seem to be the only conclusion to be
arrived at, unless they are thus suffered to
grow as ornamental One would snpnose
that, did they desire ornamental trees,
shrubs, flowers, &c, they would place them
around their dwellings but, on the contra
ry, such farms are almost invariably desti-
tute of these surroundings. Farmers,
at least one of your outside fences of walls <
do not longer attempt to till the soil while
1t Is encountered with stone-Er