Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1865-07-07
AGRICULTURAL.


Though this is not the season Of the
year for building fences, yet it is the
time when farmers are most reminded OF
the necessity for good Enclosures. When
stock break into a field where the corn or
oats are luxuriant, or where the wheat or
barley is ripening for the harvest, the
farmer is painfully reminded that a little
additional ~precaution would have saved
the labor of weeks or months.
One thing connected with fencing Is IN
time now, viz: All timber for rails or pests
should be cut during this or the next
month, while the sap is freely howing.-
Little time can now be spared, it Is true,
but little time only Is required to merely
fell the trees.
Another suggestion we make is, that it
does not pay to keep money invested In
from twenty to fifty acres of wood land
merely for fuel and fencing, especially
where the land is worth fifty dollars per
acre, as It is in many portions of these
central States. Thirty acres sink 81 800
of capital, which at ten per cen is $3.50
per year, besides the taxes that must be
annually paid, amounting usually, from
twenty to thirty dollars on that amount
of land.
But you say you must have rail timber
and fuel. AS to fuel, there are many re-
gions where coal can be had at a low rate;
and wherever it can be obtained within
twenty-five cents per bushel, the cost is
slight in contrast with the expense of
keeping woodland for that purpose. The
expense of cutting the wood amounts to
nearly as much as coal would cost at 25
cents per bushel. Few have any idea of
the economy of coal when all things are
taken into consideration. It is, to be
sure, more pleasant to burn wood in a
cooking-stove, but for this a small wood
lot would be sufficient. These remarks,
of course, do not apply to regions where
land is comparatively cheap, timber OF
little value and clearing still going on.
Then, as to fencing, we are fully of the
opinion that In regions where land is OF
great value and timber profitable, the old
fashioned worm fence is too expensive to
be tolerated after the present supply OF
rails shall have been exhausted. We
recommend boards for all new fences. II
you cut your timber at the Nighttime, and
set good, sound, well-seasoned posts Of
fine grained oak, with the top end down,
they will last until you can grow locusts
of sufficient size for posts, which will en-
dure for a lifetime. Plant five acres with
locust seed, and in twenty-five years you
will have posts enough for your own use,
and derive q large annual profit from their
sale, provided land owners generally do
not raise them. lou Will get pOSIS sooner
han that, but for the greatest profit it
were best to let them grow for that length
of time. The locust grove will then fur
nish all the limb wood that may be needed
for your kitchen. With these data you
can easily count up the profit of clearing
up your woodland, selling the timber,
~cultivating your land, planting the locusts
and building a board fence. Your tim
Der will furnish all the lumber needed, and
leave the principal portion for market.
If you have plenty of farming land out
side of your wood-lot you can sell of
some of it, increase the number of your
neighbors, improve your social and edu-
c~ational advantages thereby, and make
money at it besides.
We would not advise any one to slash
down his beautiful grove with a vandal
hand. There is nothing more agreeable
than a natural forest near the house. II
you have such, reserve several acres for
the adornment of the homestead and for
shelter. IF your woodland is far away,
plant a grove of all sorts of trees near
your buildings, andf you do not live to
see a forest, your children may or if you
or they would sell, the value of the farm
will be enhanced.