Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-16
Hogs ". Humans.

Editor UOTUiHg NetrS, In a recent
number of your admirable paper. YOUR
correspondent 'Chatham." in his usual
sensible style, points out the anOm-
allies of the law at present regarding cum
fenced stock" and the damage they do
to their unfortunate neighbOrs' proper
ty, and we only pray the Legislature
Will take the necessary steps to prevent the
continuance of this "unmiXed evil" as he
leads us to hope,
Our humorous philosopher" ''CoI. Bill
Arp has also an admirable article on
the same subject in this months number
Of the Southern Farmer. Reading his
graphic account of the inrOads and de-
structiOn caused by his neighbor's one0
''hOg," | sincerely sympathiZed with him
and Mrs. Arp in their troubles. And as
every fact in such a case tends to
strengthen the hands of progressive re-
form, | sadly recount some of our eXpe-
riences in this section.
Last fall party of seven most desirable.
intelligent, ''well fiXed'' and most indus
trious settlers came into our community
from the Western States. They were
more than pleased and surprised at the
appearance Of our soil. and, of course.
charmed with our climate. The place
they selected was peninsula, well fenced
of by deep ditch in some places from
six to seven feet deep from five to six
feet wide. the dirt from which, forming
a high bank and the south side. was still
surmOunted by a wire fence (three wires
four feet high. This fence, carefully con-
structed at a cost of some $500, ought
surely to have preserved any mans land
from encrOachment. Early in March
their incessant and intelligent diligence
was rewarded by a magnificent stand of
crops.
Between $50 and $40 worth of garden
seeds yielded beans, cucumbers and
splendid tomatoes in abundance. and
some twenty barrels of Irish potato seed
gave the finest crop of that vegetable, i'm
size and quality, ever raised here: but
alas the hogs found it out. At first by twOs
and threes, at last by dozens, these hun
CRY, marauding brutes invaded the place.
although. as in Colonel Arp's case
the nearest neighbOr's place was over
mile from the farm. and which one would
imagine was sufficiently protected by the
fence aforesaid. Unfortunately, wires
were broken and the ssbarbed-net meshes'
Of the gate wTenched asunder. as
if to facilitate the miserable invasion. To
make a long and sad story short, after
vainly protesting and spending night
after night trying to protect their prop
erty. the unfortunate ''WOuld-be settlers"
s.threW up the sponge" in despair and
moved to a neighbOring State. The actual
amount of loss sustained, besides the
cruel disappointment and ddiscOuragement
after months of patient but ceaseless in
dustTy, do not know, but some apprOXi-
mate figures l can give. Thus nearly all
the smaller truck went: 4 large portion
of the Irish potatoes, one acre of sweet
potatoes. upwards of 100 bushels of ''acme
tomatoes" and between $1,000 and 30
000 watermelonsl
We understand that the law which
Obliges each man TO keep his stock on his
OirH, and OF his HeigbbOT'S premises { >
has been passed. and works well in the
CarOlinas. We know that the attainment
Of il is one of the ''cOming questions"
amongst the higher class of truck farmers
and Orchardists in Florida, and let us
earnestly hope that the ''friends of pro-
gress" viii be able to carry it in Georgia.
make this contribution to the question
at issue as one who was directly interested
i'm the success of our friends from the
West" is and has been for some years
earnest in endeavOring to "build up our
waste places" and aid in the develop
ment of our highly favored Southern
land. For obvious reasons. therefore, ]
am unwilling more particularly to desig-
nate the exact locality of this unfOrtu-
nate attempt, which resulted IN such
grIevOus loss, and sad heart-burnings to
the worthy folk concerned.
From planters of large experience we
learn that no ordinary legal fence can
keep out d full grown, ''determined' sow
or hog, who. il they cannot climb over,
will gnaW through it! (and have been
seen to do it While should the ''ma-
raUding pestilent porker'' fail in his fel0-
NOUS endeavOr, there is, alas! always
on hand ''the COW with the crumpled
horn" These wretChed, half-starved,
milkless "miserables," roaming for
miles, Uncared for. in search of their
neighbours food, viii soon make light work
OF the best rail fence. and think no more
OF wire fence.'' barbed or I'M
baTbed !, than an ordinary grape vine In
their destructive course.
''Speed the plOw' is an Old-fashiOned,
honest toast. Not less important to the
farmers best interests is the speedv in
PRODUCTION Of good fence law. which not
only will preserve both crops and stock
for their owners, but also prevent much
bitterness and hard feeling caused by the
present anomalous state of affairs.
+, Z. A,