The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-11-09
Statistics of Fences in the u.
States.

following extracts from an article from
the United States Agricultural Report
1871, very interesting and instructive
We omit the replies to questions sent
out, except one from Ohio, and insert
what is said about Virginia fences. We
regret we have not space for the whole
article. HOOP \ >fltL-ir-
at has been a mooted point, in the
past, whether fences were intended to
avert the destruction of corn by the cat
tier of neighbors or to restrain ones own
stock from similar depreciation. For long
time the popular idea, logically interpret
ed, appeared to be that corn should be
restrained to prevent depredations upon
cattle. Another question, of which
solution has been desired, is whether the
money Invested In farm-stock or that in
farm-fences is the greater sum. 1t is
certain that the fence investment is a
large one, and strongly suspected that
much of it is avoidable and improbable.
While rapidly paying the national debt,
1T Is possible that the American people
may discover means of reducing another
of almost equal proportions. In the one
case the annual tax is a fixed sum, which
is less than legal interest upon the entire
principal; in the other, it is legal inter
est on the whole amount, and still
larger tax for depreciation of the prin-
cipal, thus more than doubling the tax,
and rendering the fence debt a heavier
burden than the war debt.
"It is beginning to be seen that our
fapna 1awc ORC inoou;tob1o -
degree than is required by the principle
of yielding something of personal right,
when necessary, for the general good.
When score of young farmers ego
West, with strong hands and little cash
In them, but a munifcent promise to each
of homestead worth 5000 now, and So
600 in the future, for less than $50 in
land-office fees, they often find that 81
600 will be required to fence scantily
each farm, with little benefit to them
selves, but mainly for mutual protection
against a single stock-grower, rich in
cattle, and becoming richer by feeding
them without cost upon the Impoverished
prairie. This little community of twenty
families cannot see the Justice of the re-
quirement which compels the expendi-
ture of $4,000 to protect their crops
from injury by the nomadic cattle of
their unsettled neighbor, which may
not be worth $4,000 altogether. There
Is also inequality in the tax which fenc-
ing levles upon the farmers, the rate of
which increases with the decrease of the
area; for example, farmer inclosing a
section of land, $40 acres, with a cheap
fence costing but 81 per rod, pays ST.
$50 for as many rods of fence, or 50 per
acre; another, with quarter section,
100 acres, pays 1910, or 81 per acre +:
while third, who is only able to hold
40 acres, must pay 1920, or So per acre.
Thus the fencing system is one of differ
entail mortgages, the poor man in this
case being burdened with an extra
mortgage of Sc per acre which his richer
neighbor is not compelled to bear. All
these acres are of equal intrinsic and pro-
ductive value, but those of the larger
farm have each but a fourth of the
annual burden thrown upon the smaller
homestead, and the whole expense may
be for protection against trespassing cat
tie owned by others.
But it is not proposed to discuss the
fence question. 1t is necessary, first, to
obtain possession of It's facts, ascertain
what kinds of fence are used, the number
of rods of each, and the cost of each.
The census furnishes no light upon it,
and local collections of these essential
facts are few and imperfect The best
that can be done at present is to seek
county estimates of kind, amount, and
cost, from careful analysis of ascertained
facts. AS preliminary effort in this
direction, in the absence of thorough
census, the following series of questions
was addressed to the regular statistical
correspondents Of this Department:
L. What descriptions of farm fences
are made in your county; if of more
than one kind, the proportions of each,
expressed as percentages of the total
quantity?
2. What is the average height and
prevailing mode Of construction of each
kind?
3. What is your estimate, for the
farms Of your county, Of the average
number Of rods of fence of each one hun
dred acres Of farm-lands, including to-
gether improved and unimproved lands
4. What is your estimate, for the
whole county, of the average size mum
Der of acres) Of Enclosures or fields?
.. Average price Of boards used for
fences, per thousand?
e. vroro o,o ,,vfoo r. IL 49,. II $780, I O