Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-12-23
BUILDING BOARD FENCE.

In 1859 built two lines of fence,
making lane, into which all my fields
opened-the lane leading to the barn.
On one side of the lane the fence was
built in the usual manner, level with the
surrounding ground; on the other side,
the bottom board was raised fifteen inch
es above the general level of the ground
along the line, and when the fence was
completed two burrows were thrown to-
wards the fence on either side, the first |
against the fence, and the second furrow
thrown on top of the first one, raising
the ground or bank nearly to the bottom
board of the fence The bank was then
smoothed off, and a plenty of grass seed
strewn over it. This line of fence was
never disturbed by any animal, nor a
board nailed on, or post right up while
I occupied the farm (nine years. Mel
Their did an animal attempt to get over
it to my knowledge, and when | left the
farm in 1868, the fence was nearly as
true in line as the day it was built. The
other line was a source of constant anxi-
ETY. and watchfulness. Fully one-fifth
of the original fence boards~had been re-
| placed by new ones, and not few of
those remaining bore the marks of the
frequent assaults of cattle and horses,
either in attempts to get over or through
the fence, or in rubbing against it; and
the posts had to be frequently righted,
while the wind, by swaying it, broke
many nails. Now it presents a dilapi-
dated, insecure barrier to cattle. while
the other line is apparently good. The
material was the same in both lines.
Now the reason-the sharply inclined
bank gave no convenient standing place
for cattle to rub against the fence; and
animals in approaching found their fore
: feet below the level, thus pitching the
head down, and making the fence seem
insurmountably high. And for the same
reason no cattle or horses ever attempted
Il to crowd or reach through The sharply
e inclined bank gave also dry, firm bed
e for the posts holding them at all time;
It securely in line, and firm against the
Z force of the wind, and, I think, added
e to the life of the fence at least fftee1
y per cent. From my experience | fee
It warranted in affirming that this metho(
n will save not less than six per cent. an
m nual cost over the usual mode of build
N ing. will further explain, that in tn
Il line of fence before named, built on tn
N old plan, the posts we're set three feet i
D. the ground-holes bored two feet an
h. the posts sharpened and driven foot
a while those in the banked line were sc
TO but little over two feet, but we're bank
g. ed foot. One mistake [ made in thI
OF line of fence was in saving the board
IN and butting the ends together; l am no
or convinced that the better way is to la
~ the boards on the posts, and use but tN
OF nails, about sixteens on the Tapped part
nd and twelves on the middle, unless I'll
ST. posts are oak, when Fights and twelv
on are sufficient Fencing size) By tn
on method of building, with posts kyanizt
Its or stepped in gas tar, | am confident tn
rty at least eight per cent. can be saved fro
OF the present annual cost of farm boa
mo and post fences by diminishing the &C
TO of repair, and increasing their durabilit
up ID. WILLIAMS in Wss. Transactions
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