The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-03-31
The Early Season.

oen;sl ravs of the sun to secure his fields with substan-
tial fences and here is one thing which we desire TO
inculcate, in passing through the country VIC nave
noticed very many errors in fence building; nor Is the
scarcity Of timber any palliation of the error. III build
:ug rail fences, care should be taken never to lay a rail
upon the ground, when 8 small block would raise the
fence in height, and preserve the lower rail from decay.
tn se.ure permaaence and beauty the rails should be Of
equal length, and lap at the junction eight inches; the
fence should be made straight, and the stakes should
stand at eoual distances from the fence, and the largest
rails be put upon the top to serve for pressing the stakes
aoa;nst III. fence. and therefore securing stability. In
building post and board fences there arc several things
70 he Guarded against. We should be careful to know
that W are putting them in places whence VIC shall not
desire their removal. 1t would be we'll TO aake all
boundary fences Of posts and boards, or posts aud bars.
the last kind mentioned are durable fences. DO not
put a part in the ground that is ~decayed, OF one that IL
cut from the smaller branches of the tree. 1t you do,
YOU may rest assured that in i year or two the fence
will need repairing, and time and labor and money must
be expended in repairs. Avoid it possible popple or
soft maple posts, as they decay in u short time, hardly
gazing the cost Of putting them in, besides in a meas
ure destroying the lumber shat is put o, them. 1t is
said by old farmers--the experience Of whom VIC must
pay Difference to-thst 5 post should always he placed
With the top end IN the ground, If we would secure n
more lasting fence; this opinion VIC think is universal.
These remarks On fence building may be objected to
by many asserting they have not the facilities--the
timber or the means-to build so good fences. There
are truly exceptions, but few in Dakota County. But
there are many who have good timber, oak and black
ash. who commit the error Of which I write. 1t is evil
Dent to the mind Of every one who expects to lay on
his farm in order that good fences are necessary, and
what is worth doing at all is worth doing we'll, and fit
be possible to fence, the FIRST year, a few acres only, 1t
ought to be we'll done, and time will show that money
has been made by the operation. There is, in Dakota
County. o large quantity Of the best oak timber, for
posts, and if we choose, during the long winters, may
dt them for bars, and thus save pine OF maple lumber F.;
OF if We are able to purchase the lumber, we will find a
post and board fence, superior in every respect TO a rail-
seuce. But enough Of this.
Al shis season of the year-ere the ground has lost
its winter GOODNESS and humidity, the plows are brought
out, and the teams are set to work. \ question rises
here-is it profitable to the soil, and therefor to the
farmer, to turn up the soil, while it is still vet and re
mains packed. Common experience teaches that every
foot Of earth should be in a powdered condition before
it is tit to receive seed. Turning up the wet earth ex-
poses it to too sudden evaporization, and the result is
it is baked IN which condition it cannot be pulyerized j:
il absorhs the dews and the rains Of heaven without im-
parting to the growing grain any Of the elements needed
in the composition Of the future kernel, and therefore
an inferior crop is the result. Let the ground be well
prepared, we'll pulverized, and if we hove to wait q week
longer, there is always enough work to do, SO We may
not be idle