Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-03-16
CEDAR FALLS. IOWA. FRIDAY. MARCH 1e, 1866.
From the Prairie Farmer.
Wire Fences-The Causes Of Failure, and
the Remedy.

From the Prairie Farmer.
Wire Fences-The Causes Of Failure, and
the Remedy.
BY DIR. GEO. sPRAdCE.
Eds. Prairie Edrmer:
As yeu suggest, the high price of
lumber will drive many farmers to the
use of wire.n j AIN well aware of the
prejudice that prevails against wire
fences. am we'll apprised at the same
time, Of the causes OF this prejudice
Were to take specimens Of this kind
of fence as you see II throughout the
country, as an indication of what may
be expected of wire, as a protection
against farm stock, | say "deliver me
from all SUCH" -. s3Sle
There IS no form of fence 80 easily and
rapidly put up, nor Is there any other
form of good secure fence that can be
put up so cheaply. .a
One common cause of failure is in set
ting the posts too far apart, but by far
the most common fault is in putting up
the wire i'm q bungling and "slip-sh0dh "
manner, and especially in not having 1t
thoroughly Strengthened before putting
1t up, thus enabling you to put it up
taut, with y good guarantee that it will
remain %. a.. -.saa1v
The wire Is generally put up from the
original coil, abOunding In short bends,
and presenting the opposite of the
straight taut wire that it should be,
when keyed up" The result is, that
cattle insert their necks between the
wires, reaching after corn or grass, and
the pressure 50 applied, takes out these
kinks for the time being, thus tempting
cattle to become breacl,y. 1r@
Thus, the whole question of insecure
" or security in wire fence, hinges
upon this one thing, viz: a slack, poor
~ fastened wire, all kinds Of farm stock
soon learn not to fear; whereas, we'll
fastened wire, kept taut, is a thing
dreaded by all dumb beasts, and they
will never attempt to force it q second
time.
Soon after moving to the West, fore
seeing that timber and lumber Of all
kinds would become scarce, and wish
ing to adopt an economical first-class
fence, one that would afford good secu-
rity against swine, sheep, and the larger
pertinent, an acre and half for gar
den; posts six feet apart, two six-inch
boards at the bottom, five inches apart,
and two wires above. This fence was
in use three seasons. And the only an
imal that | now remember of ever hav-
ing occasion to turn out of it, land we
had large stock of cattle and horses at
large during the time, was mule be-
longing to neighbOr, lone of pair that
weighed, each, about 200 cwt.) These
mules were running at large, and the
Ou ner started them for home on a run,
down hill toward the garden The fore
most mule, knowing nothing about the
fence, came charging down at furious
rate, aiming for one of the six feet
spaces between the posts. But, "prestO" "
big mules may find their match, as
well rs the small fry, rs was the case in
this instance-for striking the top wire
with his breast, he was "ended over"
in q twinkling, alighting upon his back
inside of the enclosure. His mate, see
ing that something twas up" braoed
himself. and came to a sudden halt
This fence was ever after terror to
these mules, and the circumstance Is re-
lated to show the great strength of n o..
Z wire, (the size used in this case rs
also the importance of having the wire
well fastened, SO that no ordinary or eX-
traordinary force will cause them to
loosen or slack. The only effect i'm the
ADVNS NusS "NS NCIy SIS III sIuShIIS vi
the wire, not enough to require atteu-
ton, and the mule was not injured by
the "trip up"
Being satisfied with this kind Of a
fence, in April, 1862, we enclosed field
OF about ninety acres, posts eight feet
apart, two sixteen feet pine boards, six
inches in width, at the bottom, and two
No. 8 wires above. Two wires would
have answered for all honest, well-dis-
posed cattle. But this kind does not
always prevail about you, and, besides,
cattle may not always be allowed to
roam where they would, and by coming
daily near q neighbor's corn, may not
be equal To the temptation.
The following season was compelled
to add third wire at cost then of ID
cents per pound more than the cost of
the two wires first put up. For sheep,
hogs and cattle stock, the fence as above
t,co boards and three Wires,
is secure and satisfactory fence. -.,
THE COST, AND HOW TO BUILD 1T.
Drive, or set, your posts eight feet
apart. For corner posts use round oak,
8 to 10 inches in diameter, or the equiv.
alent to this In the form Of q quarter or
half stick. Brace the corner post from
its top down to the foot of each Of the
posts nearest to it securely. The corner
posts should I've eight feet in length, and
full three feet in the ground. If boards
are used on the fence, nail these on be-
fore the wire Is put on. Unload at each
corner of the field the amount of wire
required for one side. Mount boy ten
or twelve years old upon one of your
horses, with harness on, and whifiltree
ready for use. The coils of wire are
made up Of strans 100 to 12O feet long,
Back your horse up to the
corner post, with whiflietree close up to
the post. Bend the end of u stran Of
wire or 10 inches from its extreme end
through the eye OF the whiffietree, wind
ing the end once around the body Of the
stran. BE prepared with a smooth,
strong stick, one and One.fourth inches
In diameter, and two feet in length
UncOil stran, and supposing you are
at the northeast corner of the field, 20
west with your stran of wire as far as it
will reach from the corner post. Attach
The free end to the stick in the same
manner as you fastened the other end to
the whiffietree. Now take the stick in
your hands as you would take the han
die of an augur. Step back until you
have drawn the wire tight, pulling the
- SsooS " w WIG SothCi pvSts
Now signal your boy to start up, NOV.
ing slow and steady along the east line
of fence, you holding back on the wire,
giving the horse about all he wants To
pull. In this movement you will per-
,eive that you are travelling east, your
horse south, thus the wire is in the form
of square, sliding around the round
surface of the post, cutting into the
wood on eighth to quarter Of an inch,
md in passing through this grove it Is
made perfectly straight AS you come
close up to the post, let go Of the stick
with your right hand, holding firm with
he other, allowing the right hand end
10 go up against the post. This will
stop your horse, aud the boy being In
to keep an eye upon you, keeps
,he horse quiet till you attach another
,traR to the one already straightforward
This you do by bending the end through
the eye previously formed for the stick,
BY q similar turn (S or 10 inches) and in
making this slice, wind the ends of the
wire around the main stran two or three
times, Inserting small stick or rod of
ron through the eye formed by the bent
wire, that by holding this in your hand
IA 4. Al It u 4 IL