The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-04-19
The Fence Question.
{ Tne F7orida Aariculturist:

sage of Governor Hagood, Of South
Carolina TO the Legislature Of that
State, now in session.
"COLUMBIA, Jan. 1.-THE work Of
the session Will begin tonight and
will continue, according to the latest
calculation, at least FIVE weeks. The
most important matter that will first
engage the attention of the Leglsla.
ture will be Governor Hagood's
MESSAGE ON THE STOCK LAW,
which is as follows:
COLUMBIA, S. c., Jan. IL, 'S2.
Gentlemen of the General Assem-.
bly,: l herewith return with my ap-
proval the Act to provide a general
Stock law and regulate the opera
tions of the same.
In doing so, l desire to accompany
the approval with some comment.
The Agricultural Department at
Washington in an elaborate and care,
fully prepared report, in 1871, upon
the cost of farm fences in the United
States, estimated the cost of such
fences in South Carolina at $21, 1885,
S96. Before and since 1871, some
of the most accurate agricultural
writer's OF the State have established
the fact that the average cost for
boundary fences alone in this State
is about four dollars for every acre
enclosed. l have not the figures of
the census recently taken, but previ>
ously the number of acres of inn
proved lands in South Carolina was
put at 100000 acres. This gives
the sum of $16,000,000 as the cost Of
our boundary farm fences, and is cor
roborative of the estimate of the
United States Agricultural Depart
ment, which includes cross as well
as boundary fences.
The duration of the ordinary rail
fence of the country is known not to
exceed ten years. With, therefore,
an annual depreciation of 10 per cent.
upon tho capital, and INTEREST at
per cent. upon the investment, it
clearly appears that the annual cost
of boundary fences to our agricultu
raj industry exceeds $27, 100000.
The State and county taxes levied
for all purposes for the fiscal year, as
shown by the comptroller's books,
amounted to 81 ,30S,2l6.
1t is, therefore, apparent that the
abolition of boundary fences saves
annually to the agricultural industry
twice as much money as IS paid in
taxes by all the industries of the State
combined }"
have examined the Agricultural
Report referred to, and find that in
1871 Florida had 3,415,83S rods of
fencing. The average cost per rod
was y cents, (which Is far below the
present COST which gives a total cost
of the fencing in the State at $2,.
45940336. Taking the annual de-
probation in the State to be the same
as IN South Carolina, and interest at
per cent, l find we were paying an
annual tax in that year of 1862
60. The total receipts of the State
! Treasury for the fiscal year end
ing December 81, 1871, as per
the report Of the comptroller
was $275,005.59. 1t will thus be
seen that the interest and. deprecia-
ton OF fences for that year was $167,.
687.01 more than the entire receipts
of the State for taxes, and this tax
falls upon those who are engaged in
agricultural pursuits mainly. 1t is
safe to say that we have to-day dou-
bic the amount of fencing we had in
1871, and the tax consequently dou>
bled, and l doubt not that the tax
will to>day amount to over one mil
lion dollars. The grand total cost
Of repairs in the United States with
interest, in 1871, exclusive of re-
building fences, was $l9S, 1906, 1872, as
per Agricultural Report. "This ex,
hibit makes the cost of fences nearly
equal to the total amount of the ma
tional debt, on which interest is paid,
and about the same as the estimated
value of all the farm animals in the
United States, For every dollar in.
vested in live stock, another dollar
is required for the construction of
deienceS To resist their attacks on
farm production. 1t is pos.
sible TO dispense with fencing TO the