The Florida agriculturist., 1881-11-30

Now, as not one in hundred ever
read or know what the fence laws of
this State are, / send copy:
"SEC. l. From and after the first
day of May, 1924, all fences or ems
closures commonly called worm, log,
or post and railing fences, that shall
be erected and made around or about
any garden, orchard, or settlement
in this State, shall be five feet high,
and then well staked and ridered, or
otherwise, shall be five feet high, and
locked or braced at the corners, and
from the ground to the height OF
three ieet, of every such fence or en-
closure, the rails or logs thereof shall
not be more than tour inches distant
from each other; and that all fences
or enclosures that shall'consist of pal
ing, shall likewise be five feet high
from the ground, and the pales thereof
not more than two inches asunder.
Provided, that when any fence or en~
closure shall be made with trench
or ditch, the same shall be four feet
wide, and in that case the fence shall
be five feet high from the bottom of
the ditch, and three feet high from
the top of the bank.
"SEC. 2. Ifany trespass or damage
shall be committed on any garden,
orchard, plantation, or settlement not
being fenced or enclosed in manner
as herein before is directed, by the
irruption, breaking in, or straying of
any cattle, horses, sheep, goats, or
swine, the owner of any such cattle,
horses, sheep, goats, or swine, shall
not be liable to answer for such tres
pass, or to make good or satisfy any
damage or injury that shall happen
or be committed by reason thereof
and in case any person shall kill,
MAIN, hurt, or destroy, or cause to
be killed, manned, hurt, or destroyed,
any cattle, horses, sheep, hogs, goats
orswine so trespassing andlstrayiDg, or
breaking into any garden, orchard,
plantation, or settlement, not fenced
/ and enclosed in manner as by this act
is directed, all and every suchsperson
and persons shall answer and make
good TO the owner or owners thereof
all such injury and damage as he or
they shall sustain thereby, the same
to be recovered on due proof thereof,
before any court having competent
Jurisdiction.
"SEC. 3. No planter or other per.
son not having lawful fence, shall
fix or cause to be fixed in any of his
enclosures, any canes or stakes, or
anything that shall or may kill, main,
hurt, or destroy any cattle, horses,
sheep, goats or swine, under penalty
OF ten dollars for every such offense,
to be recovered before any Justice OF
the Peace, upon confession of such
offender, or proof by one or more
credltable witness or witnesses, upon
oath, one halt OF the penslty thereof
to 60 to the informer, and the other
to the county.
"SEC. 4. In all trials to be had by
virtue OF this act, the right of the
party to the land on which the tres~
pass or damage shall be said to be
done, shall not be brought into ques.
ton, but the same shall be taken for
granted to all intents and purposes
whatsoever"
This act was passed June II, 1898,
and amended Dec. 13, 1924. Flori-
da passed into the possession OF the
United States and the change of flags
took place In July, 1921, and the law
at that time might have been prop.
er one, but how is it to-day?
If the cost of building fences and
keeping them in repair for ten years,
with the interest of the money should
be computed, it would amount to
more than ten times The value of all
kinds of stock, and should the cost be
expended in planting, 1t would
amount in taxable value to more than
fifty times that received from all
stock. Again, nearly one halt the