Connecticut western news., 1871-10-27
Hedges or Fences.

In considering the important question of fences, farmers and agricultural writers are often led to take but a super ficial view of it. Fences we must have. It is useless to say tn t in this or that township the inhabitants have voted to abolish all fences that in Vineland, Wheatland, or Cornville there is not 9 fence to be seen, and so much money is saved to the public. This may do in places where one never sees a drove of seep or cattle on the highways but in localities where, during the season, a farmer sees dozen droves pass his farm daily, fences must be a necessity. His fields must be protected from the road, at least. Inside fences, we admit, may be abolished tomorrow, if the will is ready to do it. Then, of what must our outside fences be made? Necessity ,alls for something cheap. This includes all good qualities. To be cheap, it must be not necessarily of the smallest origs inal cost but it must be moderate h cost, easily erected, permanent, and durable in quality. Hedges are gen. orally too costly for the ordinary farmer, inasmucb as they must be protected for @ term of years by substantial fence, and occupy belt of land which might produce crops and even with the best of care they become intellectual in time. Wire fences have the objection that they are dangerous to cattle unused to them, and if made so close and high as to be really useful, are costly. Then we come to wooden fences. And here we believe we must stay. But we are met with the objection, "Where is the tim Der to be obtained ?" This is readily removed. The timber must be grown. In Europe, where timber is scarce, and has been for centuries grown for daily use, the fences are, in great measure, of wood. Hedges are of course very common, but the thorn of which they are formed will not stand our climate sufficiently well to become a permanent, useful fence. And even there the thorn hedges is kept up only by constant at tention and labor, which would rarely be given on an American farm on ac- count of the expense. We know of no cheaper or more substantial fence than one of posts and rails. Three rails are sufficient to turn sheep or cattle, and any animal that goes over such fence should become material for the butcher. Much land may be found anywhere that will bring in a better revenue planted in fence timber than in any other man. Ter. Poor pastures or wet and rocky lots might be planted with such quick growing timbers as chestnuts, bass. woods, Norway spruce, or European larch. Selections from such timber o1 other species may be made which will suit any soil, whether wet or dry, stony or smooth. A few years only will elapse before valuable crop may be gathered, and we are certain that five acres SC planted and we'll attended will keep ir repair continually the outside fences ot two hundred acres. A post-and-rai fence will occupy but small strip o1 land. The blow may be run within 6 foot of the post. A hedge, of the pres ent inconvenient rail fence, with its spreading stakes, occupies @ large breadth of land totally lost to cultivation
 The proceeds of such land, now lost
 would in a few years repay the cost ol the fence, and would certainly continue to keep it in repair. Where there arc so many points to be considered as il this question of fencing, it is we'll to give them all hearing before deciding or any settled course. But it is evident that the time for consideration witt many of us is passing, and we are ever now casting about for materials where with to replace our dilapidated fences.- | 4 Pe1anSulUO7ai0 Fdrnaer