Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-04-23
Utilisatisa q Cheap weeds IN rsns-
fnw.

1t has long been a problem with
farm economists whether such woods
as the willows, the poplars or cotton
woods, and other rapid growing trees
might not yet be made useful in
fencing, and by their less cost ma
terially reduce this serious tax upon
the capital of the agriculturist.
As rails, posts, or pickets, in fences
of the common sorts, these woods
decay rapidly if they are so situated
that they at any point retain moisture
upon or between them. 1t is only as
top rails and peeled that such woods
have been success, and their success
in such situations seems to be due to
the fact that they are not, when SO
used, long moist at any point. Mois-
ture is essential as condition Of
rapid decay, and if these woods can
be kept dry they are about as lasting
as any other wood. In ordinary use
the bearings where pieces cross
always rot first, and that is because
those bearings retain the moisture
long after the rest of the stick is dry.
Just as the rotting begins in the
mortises of wooden Implements so IN
fencing the bearers rot first. Logi-
cally then reduction of the bearing
surface to a minimum will reduce
proportionately the tendency to rot,
The farmers of 10 Daviess county,
Illinois, seem to have hit upon de-
vice which l will describe for the
benefit Of the readers OF The Pro-
gressivc Farmer, and which, rcduc-
ing the bearing points of the pieces
used to almost nothing, allows the
use of the cheap soft woods in
fence, and thus materially reduces its
cost.
The fence consists of string Of
posts (which should be of durable
wood set l6 to 80 feet apart, with 4
strong fence wires used in pairs, one
on each side the post, and soft wood
pickets. !
10 make it. set the posts; string
along the wires attaching them to
the end post, one pair about Is inches
above ground, and the other feet
high; hang weights, say SO pounds,
to the loose ends Of the wires about
10 or 10 posts from the beginning,
letting the wires pass over cross
pieces ut the post next the weights to
gauge height, weave in picket SO that
the wires cross between pickets; at
tach wires to posts with staples. 10
make pickets any soft wood may be
used, and the pickets are usually
cut from Lombardy poplar or aspen
or cottonwood or willow Of small
size, say from 4 inches to Is inches
diameter, by horsepower ripping
saw, first Sitting the round piece
through the centre, then laying them
flat and ripping to ! Of an inch
thick, giving the pickets one square
and one wanc edge.
Specimens of this fence which cost
IS cents per rod seemed to me to
furnish better barrier for all kinds
of domestic animals than any board
pine fence could which would cost at
the same locality sl.30 per rod. The
breaking by the horns Of cattle and
by the leaning and rubbing of horses
must be much less where the fence is
as described than in
common board fences, for obvious
reasons, and as to durability OF ma
tvrial there can be no doubt but that
sof wood will last longer when its
only bearings are against wire at
each point, than when used any other
way. AS to the definite limit of dur
ability, this fence has not been in use
enough to enable us to ascertain that
point, only the presumption is in its
favor. am told that the inevitable
patent shark has put in claim to the
device l have described, and should
bis claim he maintained in law land
I cannot think it will beg it will only
De another case where bcneiccnt
institution has been knavishly used.
All in all, whether righttully under
Dttent or not this fence is Il device in
he interest Of farm economy which
should not be slighted.-P'ogressice
Farmer.