The Opelousas courier., 1883-07-21
Saving by the " NO Fence Law. "

hH"" tLdt Ill auVocatlnS the " no
fence law we have to combat long es-
tabllshed prejudices in favor of fencing
IN all cultivated lands and letting stock
of various kinds run at large on the open
or uncuItivated lands. just such opin-
ions prevailed for long time in the
ether States. and the no fence law was
at first resisted with bitter opposition
by many people but after they once
saw its practical workings, these same
opponents were delighted at The econ
omy as well AS the convenience of it.
Before we proceed to prove the economy
of the no fence law, we would first state
what snclt a law means. To sum it up
in few words the 40 fence law re-
quires that pastures for stock must be
fenced in, and all stock must be kept in
a secure enclosure, and the farms to be
left open, or without any fencing around
them. " WE'LL" exclaims some impetu-
ous farmer, who speaks without refec-
tion, - if that is your no fence law
don't want any of it. If | am to keep
all my stock fenced up, / would prefer
the present old system of fencing in the
farms and letting the cattle and stock
run at large Bnt to such an one we
would say 9 Go slow, my agricultural
friend, and listen to facts and figures.
You will grant that excellent open prai-
rie land can be bought near Opelousas
at $500 per acre, and further away for
from $500 to $3.50. Well, fifty acres
of land at $500 per acre, would cost
$250.00; but if you want to cultivate
all of the fifty acres, under the present
system you would be compelled to fence
it in. Now, what will it cost to fence it ?
Sapposing the fifty acres to be in a
square, that wOuld give u acres to each
side of the square; and, estimating 100
pieux to the acre, that would be 730
pieux to each side, or for the four sides
of the fifty acres, 1920 pienx. These
pieux would cost at least $500 per hun
dred, which would amount to S262.80.
The cost OF value of the labor to bore
posts, digsholes, prepare the rieux, and
put up this fence around the fifty acres
of land would be at least $4,000 more,
which added to the cost of the pieux,
to wit, $262. 80. would make the fencing
cost &312. so, or S62.S0 more than the
cost of the land. But if the ''no fence
law around farms prevailed, the pur
chaser of the fifty acres Of land would
not want to fence in more than ten
acres of land for pasturage of his stock !;
which at the preceding estimates and
prices would cost about Sll7.0 .00, Ieav-
ing him balance of $I7O.s0 from what
it would cost to fence the whole fifty
acres. With this amount saved, man
Of small family could buy his provisions
for the year. or use it III improving his
buildings. 1t requires but little reflec
ton and calculation to show the i'm
mense expense of fencing in farms and
keeping them in suitable repair. If the
law required all stock to be kept i'll
pasture, il would not require more than
one fourth of the fencing that is neces-
sary to incIose the farms. As a matter
of course, every man would be required
to have his pastures; and all stock,
such as horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, &C.,
being kept up, there would be no neces-
sity of fencing in the farm lands. Such
a law would save our country thousands
of dollars expense, and would be the
most salutary law that could be passed
for the agricultural interests Of our
country As the law now stands it costs
mere money to fence land than TO buy
it; aud very often it is a difficult matter
to procure fencing at any price. We
shall allude to this subject again
The following table gives the result
of the drawing Of the Lottery for the
benefit of 0pelousas Fire Co. No. |, last
Wednesday night The first column
gives the number of the ticket, and the
second column the nunlher OF the prize
drawn opposite said ticket. Parties
holdlng winning tickets can have the
prizes Oh presentation Of the tickets to
Mr.. I'll. E. Estorge.
u 90 IO4 100 f2OI ] 302 Al 402 So
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