The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1878-03-28
for the farmer.
ROAD-FKNCtsa NERDEEss.


Thc fringe question is attracting much atten-
lion, and it is shown by argument and experience
that farmers can not only get along without fenc-
rs, but that they are better off without than with
fences. ! will state my experience, and give
some reasons in favor of abolishing them in this
State, and wherever fence is required only for
a barrier against intruding auimas, or for fenc-
ing out, instead of fencing in. For n number OF
wears our State laws have not made il necessary
Ia fence our public reads. provision being made
that no cattle or farm stock should be allowed
10 run at large in the road. But as farmers had
always been obliged 10 keep mp good road fences
tn guard their growing crops, they can hardly
trust them Row To grow without being fenced,
although nothing is allowed in the road that
Nonld modest them
About eight years aga, as found il necessary
Ia renew a long strip of road fence, /: was quite
d-.irable To- slu a great d al of cleaning up and
grading tu make g".sl fence bottom: so, after
many, MANY misgIYiBss Ia regard 10 exposing
garden, and wheat ami other farm crops, border
ing on the read, removed this fence, thinking
Ia replace it again possible But tue
crops receiving 40 damage by exposure to the
road, and other work crowdir g. only did the
grading occasionally, at odd intervals, taking
the year 10 put il in order and get il seeded
Meanwhile crop moested growing along
the highway y" let it stand the same the next
year, and IL has stood until now without fencing
although This i, the nam road for travel through
the State. | acquired confidence by doing so
another fence along the same road. After filling
aud planting the border of the road where it
stood, 20 thoroughly subdue it, ] planted
two rows of trees along the side Of the road.
have now seeded it down to grass The grass
and The trees make much nicer boundary be.
tween my farm lots and the street than any kind
OF fence or hedge, except il is wire fence. A
wire fence does not mnch Obstruct the landscape
view, or the drifting snow, which often aecumn
lates along other fence, so as to interfere with
I,.r, q
trees along the side Of the road, place the in
her on the boundary of my land and intend
after few years, If / should want fence, 10
Ise the trees for live pests in which to staple
wires for a fence, which, believe, will be quite
practicable by letting the wire play loose III the
staple, and by drawing out the staples once in
year or two, to save their growing into the tree.
i consider it very desirable, both to the land
owners and the public also, 20 have such rows of
trees growing along the public roads. With the
protection and encouragement which our State
laws give, they can be started growing with
much less risk and expense than formerly, for
may till the roadside with any crop for a
year or two in getting them started, and he
plant small trees, if he chooses, without the ne
cessity OF stalking TO protect them. This plant
ing of trees by the roadside can be done as cheap
and safely as planting orchard.
And now, as the result of many years expert
ence in farming both with and without fences,
/ can say that my garden and farm crops were
disturbed and destroyed when the law allowed
cattle TO run at large in the road, and was do
ing what conld TO fence them ont, much more
than since their ranging the roads was prohibit
ed, and have thrown open my road gates and
taken away the road fences. The reason of this
is that while the road cattle were allowed to
run at large, they would often steal in or break
in, causing much damage TO crops, although the
farmer had used every precaution TO guard them.
Now, without the road fences, or road cattle
either, the crops are not disturbed. Another
important reason for abOlishing road fences in
this northern country is, that fences cause the
snow to drift in and often fill them, to OBJ
struct or entirely stop travel on them. Those
obliged to travel, will open the fences and make
their way throu gh the fields, causing much in
convent ence and damage, which would be avoid
ed by abolishing road fences w. IVES.
N. y. ObserrG.