The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-11-03
The Cost of Unruly Animals.

IN pcrsuading farmers to keep quiet an
imals only, we do not propose to make eS-
Inmates of the amount of wheat, corn, or
oats which they tread down and destroy
when they break into cultivated fields, nor
the time in driving them out when the
owner or his men happen to be particular
" busy, nor the lessons II bad morals
which such marauders teach to all the other
animals on the farm nor the wear and tear
from veXatiOn to which the mind of the
placid owner is ever liable. These sources
of serious damage are well known, and are
unfortunately too familiar by experience to
many farmers.
Omitting at the present moment all these
considerations, we wish to invite attention
for II moment to another source of cost and
disadvantage which such animals occasion,
and which may be reduced to tigures-a
mode of estimate which we always like TO
resort to where practicable. This is the ne
cesssity and cost of high fences.
The older members of our community
will remember well the times when every
thing that grew from the soil had to be
protected by high and strong barriers
Heavy rail fences, at least six feet high
we have often seen them as high as seven
and well "staked and ridered" would
scarcely restrain the rampant steers and
bulls, or the vaulting colts which had the
range of the fields The cattle consisted
largely ofthe long-legged and swift breeds.
These have been greatly improved; better
farming has given better feed and they
have less inducement to leave their com
Portable enclosures. We can perceive a
decided change in the last thirty years in
the height to which it is deemed necessary
to build fences. At the same time, there
are fewer inroads made by animals into
cultivated crops.
The figuring which we make, is to show
/ the cost which a single unruly beast may
make TO its owner, To say nothing OF the
neighbors. -Four feet is sufficient height
for any orderly and well-fed animals; but
we occasionally see strong board fences
built five and a half to six feet high, as
protection against ience-leapers. What Is
the additional cost? Suppose the pasture
contains but ten acres, the least circumfer
cnce of which must be 100 rods, or halt a
mile. The 800 posts must be nearly double
in size; the addition of boards will be at
least 800 feet. The postholes must be
dug six inches deeper The additional cost
of fencing, to keep one wild animal, viii
he:
Ten cents each added to 800 posts for strength. s.;
1,Gu0 feet of boards, additional ............. 2
Extra digging for 30 post-hoes, Sets each. II
Extra work setting posts, making fences, &c. q
Total. -.------.----.-.- ST
Nearly one hundred dellars special expen
diture to keep an unruly animal in a ten
acre enclosure, without estimating the
other expenses incident to its peculiar
habits. But this is only a small part; fol
every farmer who Opts rotation
changes his pasture fields, and before the
work is ended the cost may run up to foul
! or five hundred dollars
The best economy for every owner o.
/ such cattle, is to dispose of them at once
/ to the drover, or to convert them into beef
! Keep only those that arc quiet and gentle
and IA great deal of annoyance will be oh
Waited If horses or colts are not disposed
| To remain in the fields where they are put
they should invariably be kept in stables
-fOuUfIU EfnfLendH