The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-05-12
agricultural
From tie Prairie Farmer.
Usage Orange for Fencing.

Usage Orange for Fencing.
One of the most important coasidera-
tons that have engaged the attention of
farmers from the first settlement of this
country to the present time, is how the
prairies can be fenced. -
The first settlers located close to tim
Der and secured for themselves an abun-
ldant supply. The next went into the
openings, or took the second tier of prai-
rie land and divided the timber with the
first settlers; and still there is more than
one e-half of the prairie in this State unin-
closed, and there is not more than timber
land enough to replenish the fences on
lands already enclosed, and to fetch
boards and posts across the lake and then
carry them TO the interior of the State by
railroad, at the present high price of
lumber, makes very costly fence. A
good post and board fence costs from
81 % to 81 60, according to location,
per rod. TO fence quarter section In
10 ten acre lots requires 1910 rods of
fence and a. the lowest figure would cost
$2,oe0.
The Prairie Farmer is entitled to much
credit for its constant perseverance for a
long series of years, through good report
and through evil report, in trying to wake
up the farmers to the Importance of q
live fence. Il is very true, that follow
ingin the wake of tina. great horlicuiturist
a. j. Downing, it was led to spend too
much time and breath and shed too much
ink in praise of the Buckiborn and oeea-
sionaily in favor of some other yalueless
plant for fence purposes bus the effect
OF its labor has been to render important
service In bringing into notice that. valu-
able native plant, the Osage Orange !;
and | think there is much more to be
done in the same direction. There is
yet not one man In ten who is perfectly
convinced OF the great value of the Usage
Orange for fence.
have been watching the experiments
that have been making with hedge plants
OF different kinds with much solicitude
fer the last twenty years | have trav-
eied thousands OF miles and through ma
my OF the States to see a good hedge, and
never found one that every way answered
my expectations until / saw the Usage
Orange, which seems to me to be the
hedge plant for this country. The wood
Is hard and durable the thorns stiff and
plentiful. Il grows thrifty bears cut
ting to almost any extent; is very hardy,
and stands the drouth of our climate re-
markably well, and viii probably stand
almost any degree of cold, provided it is
kept drained so as not to heare by frost.
Ore of my neighbors has field mostly
enclosed by it that is now most perfect
fence. It belongs to Capt James Moore,
who lives near Diamond Lake in this
(Lake) county he planted and has cul-
tivated it himself, and i. is his first ex-
pertinent. 1t has all grown and never
required replanting or filing up, and it
is not much work to tend it, though It
is SO situated that it had to be cultivated
entirely with q hoe, which is four times
the work that it is TO tend it with a eul-
tiyator properly made. No animal rs
large as a rabbitcan go through or over it,
and it forms q beautiful bordering to his
field. This hedge will be FIVE years old
next spring, and is grown within twenty
miles of the north line of Illinois. There
are many other pieces started in this re-
gion, and all that have been well planted
and tended are doing well.
[ have become satisfied of the practical
bilitI and importance of this fence, aud
have this year planted two miles, which
hasdone very well, and have four hun
dred acres of prairie that have broken.
and strip twelve feet wide on each line OF
fortys which ! am preparing te plant with
Usage next spring, making about eight
miles more; and after they are once plant.
ed am convinced that one man aud horse
can tend them for two and half months,
SO that on prairie where no ditehinr is
necessary. the cost of raising a hedge
will not exceed thirty-five cents a rod.
Now, suppose we fence quarter sec.
ton into ten acre lots with Usage Orange
For 1900 rods at thiriy.Eve cents pel
rod. it amounts to $500, which is sl44C
less than would be required to fence the
same land with posts aud boards accord
ing to my calculation before made, willis
the hedge is much the most valuable
durable and ornamental. Now we hay.
in this State about 5000, ,O0o acres o
land far from timber, and for which ther.
sisnos enough timber in the State to sup
nfus with sanca The difference IN RI,