Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-05-15
Live Fences.

NOW Is the Time IOr obtaining
stakes and cuttings from willow for
live fences. Whether the legislature
will permit us to farm without build
ing barricades against our neigh
bors' stock, we need fences for pas
ture, for wind breaks and for fuel.
We need the tall willow hedge to
break the force of our summer and
winter storms, and to amcliorate
our climate. BY care and time all
farms can be thoroughly fenced,
with little cost. Neither frost or
drouth has any effect on it. In some
cases even IN northern Iowa and
Illinois, the Usage orange has been
successful, and those who have faith
in and prefer it to willow or honey
locust should put out largely. The
quickest and surcst way of getting
a good and reliable fence is to obtain
and drive willow stakes from three
to four feet long. If driven close
enough together it will make hog
fence the first year, and if well Gull
tivated and richly mu.ched will be
4 good cattle fence the second year.
if you have no grove or hedge large
enough from which to cut stakes,
get the short cuttings and set out
half mile, and in few years you
can cut stakes enough to enclose
your farm in suitable sized fields.
We cannot fence with posts and
boards. 1t is too expensive, and
already our home forests are fast
disappearing for railroad ties, and
the pine forests are rapidly yield
ing to the arm of the husbandman.
Men who have visited our available
pine regions, and have thoroughly
Investigated the question of the
yearly demand and the supply give
some startling estimates. They
state that 100000 acres Of pine tim
Der and 200, 900 acres of hard timber
are cut away every year, and that
in twenty years our forests will be
gone. In ten years more timber
will be double its present price, and
that in thirty years, without vast
ing it for fences, other material
than wood will have to be used for
building houses and barns. 1t is
claimed that if 100000 acres were
planted in groves every year it would
not keep up the supply. And yet
one fifth of this is not done. Our
coal fields which are being discov-
cred on the plains and Rocky Noun
tains gives us assurance that the
day is distant when it's body will be
exhausted.
But trees should be planted by the
million for timber. All waste places
should be occupied. Pine, the most
useful of all timber, will grow any
wherein any climate or any soil.
Aid it until it's branches ovef-shade
the weeds and grass, and then it is
rapid grower, and needs no further
nursing. The day of famine in
choice timber is so near at hand the
country cannot afford to waste it in
fencing. And even if it could re-
main at the present price, oak posts
and pine lumber are too perishable
for fencing. Something durable
and beneficial as a wind break must
be used in Iowa. Further than this,
it is an unwise policy to put out SO
much in groves Of useless timber.
There is now too much running af-
ter soft maple. 1t is good for moth
ing except fuel. White ash, better
for fuel, and ten times more valua-
BILE of timber, is almost neglected.
There is no necessity Of putting out
groves tor fuel. Enough fuel can be
raised in the hedge, while the regu-
lar groves should be planted with
more valuable timber. Pine, ash,
oak, walnut and hickory are all rap
id growers, and valuable rs timber,
and the refuse the very best for
fuel. Let us have more practical
sense in all these ma tiers, and while
we are setting groves we are laying
up our money in the safest banks
for our children.