The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1869-03-26
Garn. ans GarSttt
WHY KEEP UP INTERIOR FENCES :

It is a common staten ent among far
mers, especially in the Eastern States,
and it is probably not II very exagger-
ated one, that it would cost more to-day
to fence the farms in most counties than
.he land itself woultl sell for. This en-
ormous amount o. labor has been done
| gradually, and at the seasons when
| there was little other work, and IT'S
| great cost has not been felt. The an
nual cost of keeping fences in repair,
and the labor required, all reduced to
dollars and cents, as it ought to be,
would constitute a more serious tax
| than most farmers would be willing to
meet. And the questions naturally
arises, what is the use ofall this2 Why
do we need so many fences? Pasture
| lands, of course, must be fenced, bAlt in
our opinion no others should be. dr. at
least no other need be. except fox the
purpose of separating our meadowA nd
cultivated fields from our pastures IN
| the public highway, and from a :
! bor's land. In expressing tins OF ke 4
We base it, of course, on a convi !
| that moving land should never be ~ 4
den by the hoof OF an animal, exception
purposes OF tertiliziDg and harvesting a
crop.
The cost Of making and repalriAr
fences, after all. is only small part
the argument against their excessivA
use. They are disadvantages in nlsny2
ways. They shorten the ftlrrow anEy
require much time to be lost in turning
plow teams, etc. 2. They cut up tMs
fair face OF the farm into unsiglltly
patches. 3. They prevent the adoption
of the best systems OF agriculture. 4.
They harbor yermin. ). The headlands
beside them not only occasion a great
waste iland. but they foster the growth
Of troublesome weeds, which spread
yearly from them into the cultivated
land adjoining.
Therefore, we say, do away with fenc-
es wherever possible: spend part Of
the time, at least, that is now occupied
by repairs, in removing them altogeth-
er; makes the fields larger, and lessen
the growth of troublesome weeds.
These remarks will naturally lead to
the inquiry. How Shall we get rid of
the stones? andlto the second one, Shall
we use them in making uhderdrAins?
Stones may be advantageOusly disposed
OF in two ways: Build then up into
slightly, cy lindrical piles in corners Of
the fields, and cover them With Virginia
Creeper or some other vine. This is
the easiest way to manage the question,
and adds to the beauty of the larm. 2.
Bury them in the ground. In lthis we
do not recommend generally that they
be used in making underdrains. The
cheapest way is to dig holes and treach-
es, dump the stones in, and cover them
up, Whenever tiles can be delivered
on the farm for three cents foot it will
be much cheaper to dram the land with
tiles than with stones, although these
be dumped, ready for use. at the banks
of the bitches, cheaper in the first cost,
because the amount OF excavation re-
quired for tiles Is very much less than
the cost oi laying the stones; cheaper in
the long ran, because a well-laid tile
drain is an absolutely permanent i'm
proyement, while the best laid stone
drain in constantly subject to lasting
and annoying obstructiohs.--An AnsertcaR
iqricuturiSt.