Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-08-30
Economy in Fencing.

In short tour among my brother farm
| ers, | have been much surprised at the en-
tire absence of economy exhibited by their
mode of fencing many OF them seem to
have lost sight of the end and aim OF econo-
mical fencing, viz to enclose the greatest
amount of space with the least possible
amount of fence.
On the great point, which should always
be borne in mind, is that the shape of the
field has everything to do with economical
fencing Many seem to think that to fence
one acre will require just so much fence,
without reference to the shape of that acre.
That this is wrong may be readily demon
strated by having recourse to little fifth
metic. A ten-acre field in the form OF
square will require two hundred and sixty
four panels Of fence, measuring ten feet to
the panel the same sized field in the form
of parallelogram, having one side double
the length of the other, will require about
two hundred and eighty-three pannels Of
the same length If we were to continue
the application of our arithmetic a lit le
farther, we would find that the most econo-
mical form for fencing is a circle---that is,
circle will enclose the greatest amount Of
space with the smallest amount Of fence /;
the next point of economy is the square, ,and
as we recede from the square towards the
parallelogram, we increase the amount OF
fence necessary to enclose the same amount
Of ground.
There may be other things, such as wa
ter, woods, &c, which may influence the
shape of the field, but no doubt there could
be more attention paid to the important
point.
Many of our farms burn the upper part
of their old fence posts after they have be-
| come rotted off at the surface of the ground ;
this is a great mistake, for with these posts
| can be made an excellent division fence.
| Let all these broken posts be sawn off one
! length, and after setting up each panel,
with the bottom of each post upon fiat
stone, the fence may be "staked and rider
ed, and will make fence which will turn
any kind of stock, and will last until the
rails rot of, and then after resetting will
| be as good as it was at first.
| Another mistake often made is to allow a
division fence to stand too long without re-
setting. The best way and time for NOV
! ing the division fences is to cultivate the
farm regularly and in this way one divis.
ion fence can be made to serve for several
fields for instance, suppose range OF
fields side by side, the first in with wheat
| the second with oats and the third with
corn now, between the corn and oats you
will not need fence for that year, nor for
the next four or five years, so that this di
vision fence may be moved somewhere else
where it is needed In thus moving worm
fences, there is another important point
gained division fence between two square
ten-acre fields will occupy about four hun
dred and fifty square yards, which should
produce six bushels of corn, four of oats and
! three of wheat These with their straw, will
be worth at least $11, so: deducting one
third for expenses, we have 7.653 to pay
for the trouble of moving the fence, which
however will be amply repaid by the ensu-
! ing crops of grass, which will be in
creased, both in quantity and quality. l
think that by more attention to economy in
fencing we might both do with less mate
rial than is now used and at the same time
make it accomplish all the ends aimed at.
| have found that, by keeping the outside
| fences in good condition, there will be no
need Of the bottom rail of post-and-rail
| fence, and that the under rail of a worm
fence may be better employed in the form
Of blocks to raise the corners, for no good
farmer allows his pigs to range at large in
his fields. OF course this will not apply to
farms where sheep are kept. Fence posts
generally give way first through the lower
hole, or between that and the surface if
the lower rail is not made use Of this part
of the post may be left heavier and unhew-
ed. GEO P ROGERS
Eaqle Farm, July5, 1866