Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-03-22
From the Louisville Journal.
URABILITY OF FENCES.

URABILITY OF FENCES.
OF the large territory within the limits
o.. Kentucky, about eighteen millions of
acres only are listed for taxation. OF
these eighteen millions, what portion is
enclosed by fence must remain, during
our present imperfect systen43f gather
ing agricultural statistics, me lmatter Of
conjecture. But il any inference can be
drawn from the extent of the corn crops
and the ratio which other tllable and
pasture lands bear to corn lands in COM
mon farming, it will not be an extrava-
CANT estimate to set down the enclosed
fields Of the commonwealth al SIX mill
re average area of 40 acres. which is
much above truth, il would require $780,
100000, rails TO complete the enclosure,
which, at the low price of one dollar per
hundred for making and putting up,
would equal nine millions six hundred
thousand dollars. II again, we appeal
70 experience, think it will warrant the
assertion that the average duration of
rail fences, made OF all timbers, and cut
without regard TO seasons, and with the
bark upon the sap rails, will not exceed
eight years. If this estimate for dura-
ton be true, then the interest of agricul-
IRE is subject TO a yearly tax of one
lion two hundred thousand dollars,
lply for repairing fences, taking no ac-
unit of the cost of timber, which must
ell the annual outlay to more than one
d a half millions.
There is another method of approach
truth on this subject, which is the
limating of fair hire for the two hun
ed thousand agricultural laborers of the
ta'e duringfhe many weeks spent in the
,urse of every year in making and re-
iring fences From this aspect of the
bject we shall again be forced to con-
;de that the business of fencing absorbs
considerable portion of the farmers
e. Any system of practical economy
refore, which can be brought to bear
n this subject and aid in outstanding
pr, is highly deserving the attention
he agriculturalist.
The extreme simplicity of the prac-
to which mainly, ia this article,
nded to direct the attention of the
ZIONIST forbids ones endeavoring to
up for j! any exalted claims, yet SIM
and unpretending as it is, ] think if
rally adopted, it would more than
pie the duration of all sap rails, and
aaps add twenty per cent. in the ag-
ate to which fences are now expected
- asst. If so, the saving to agricult,. re
would in aggregate be sum greater than
is now required to support our State gov
ernment, with all its interest account
This would be consummation greatly
Ito be desired--an achievement which
might well warrant the government in
discussing small modicum of the ma
tona' wealth, thus gained. in the shape
of bounties to experimenters, who might
thereby be tempted TO enter the list IN
any contest for truth in this UNEMPLOYED
field Of practical economy.
But, to proceed with explaining this
method .ps~Tescing, / remark that il con-
sists rather in doing the work at parlc-
ular time than in a particular manner
In cutting and splitting the rails when the
sap is in motion and stripping the sap
rail of its bark, which is the Fastening
agency which brings about rapid decay;
chemistry has established undeniably the
fact that putrifac;ion is contagious; and
we cannot prevent its attack upon timber
unless moisture be excluded; nor where
the wood is affected can the contagion
be arrested, unless coming into contact
with parts rendered impervious to water
by the presence of some of the bases
acting as antiseptics, as is the case with
the heart wood of walnut and some other
timbers. Now the cortical layers are
mostly cellular tissue, and hold water as
sponge. In the system of bark putre-
faction speedily begins. The wood
worm so soon commences the work of
destruction upon the sap wood that one
is almost led to conclude that, like the
vulture, he is ever lowering round ready
TO seize upon his victim as soon as life
is extinct in any object of the vegetable
kingdom. Almost as soon as the bark is
affected. the sap wood by contiguity re-
ceiyes the contagion, and the work of
decay is ever after onward. When the
trec is deprived of its bark, gummy
exudaton covers as if with paint the
A.Hnzface. 1t soon dries, and, water being
absent, decay cannot begin.
The friend who first suggested this
practice stated that by his experience
there was little difference in the last of
rails if all were stripped of their bark.
He remarked that buckeye was scarcely
less durable than walnut. AT his sugges.
ton, in the summer of 1925, | enclosed
asmall field with rails so prepared
This place was occupied by myself first
and afterwards by an intimate friend, for
twenty years, during all which time not
rail was added to the fence, because
) none seemed wanting. What has been
its history since cannot say. Two
other examples of lis efficacy have come
unoer my knowledge.
Travelling in Ohio, | once observed
barn built of round logs, the bark of
which. at the distance of hundred