The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-12-27
FIGURES ON FENCING.
A Vast Expense That Must Disappear in
the Near Future.

modern origin. They are the result of
q transition from nomadic life to q per-
manent occupation of limited tracts, the
peaceable possession of which was Sc
cured by fencing out all outside stock,
and must disappear with the state of
civilization which brought them into
existence. As civilization advances and
the human race increases. and the land
becomes more thickly inhabited and
valuable, cultivation must increase and
grazing decrease till the occasion for
fences will, BY slow degrees, pass away.
Fences have already disappeared from
continental Europe, at least in all the
most densely populated parts. A trav-
elcr as seldom sees 4 farm fenced in
Europe as he sees one here unfenced.
The advancement of agriculture in the
eastern part of the United States is
rapidly leading to a condition which
calls for less and less fencing. The
tendency, even with dairymen, is
strongly toward grazing less and stall
feeding more. They find it more profit
able to contract their pastures and sup
port their herds more on cultivated
be produced by cultiyating than by
grazing a given surface. They not only
reduce fences by diminishing the size of
their pastures, but they are fast doing
away with inside fences, and throwing
all their grazing fields into one lot. In
the best dairy districts of New York
State single pastures are quite general
and are believed to be best. Their
adoption is one step toward a reduction
Of fencing.
Another step in the same direction
might well be made in abolishing fences
along highways, which are built for the
most part Motor the convenience of the
landowner, but to fence intruders out,
and in all snowy regions at least, had
better be out of the way than remain
Fencing the highways involves an ex-
peuse the magnitude of which few will
appreciate unless they take some pains
to figure it out, and the same is true
with respect to farm fences. The high
price Of fencngmaterial and labor make
the cost of fence about one dollar per
rod, whether of boards and posts or
rails and stakes. At this rate a man
WIZ HIS u ulIit u iOilu -itutt 10 HulIu
must invest $500 in labor and material.
and be subject to an annual tax of ten
per cent. of its cost for annual repair,
which together impose upon him a
a yearly tax of Sj1.2O, reckoning inter-
est ut six per cent, a pretty severe tax
10 pay Ior nuisance, and one which,
II applied 10 the roads OF the whole
State becomes SURPRISINGLY LARGO Nv
tracing the IncS on any OF the later
state maps which lay down the roads in
detail 1t appears there are about $4,000
mles OF road IN the state, requiring
I"o'oOO miles offence to fence them, IN
yolymg an investment OF $il,6OO,OOO
lot building, ana an annual tax Tor IN
ieIvS' ana repairs OF '7f,09O,UO0.
Inc IarinS Oh the state, the census
SHOWS, average ABOUT 100 acres each,
and are supposed TO De fenced INTO ten
acre IotS. ms would require eight
rods OF fence to the acre, and at the
ABOVE rate OF cost would require annual
~ for interest OF outlay ana repairs Sl.2o
per acre, or %IZo Tor IOJ-acre farm,
ana lor Gne lo'ooo'V0o acreso improved
lahq IN the otate' would make an an
iiual expense Ior interest ana repair OF
FENCES OF o-V,4oO'UOO' TO say nothing
ABOUT the lo,V0O, GOV acres OF woodlands
ana other lands included IN the farms.
Ii the fences along the highway are
counted with the rest 1t would probably
be safe to say that one-haIt the fences IN
the State are continued from the force
or habit rather than from economy,
making leak from the pockets Of New
YORK farmers OF some SlO,OO0,OOO
year, besides the waste OF ground the
fences occupy, which Is nonconslderable
item. The waste OF land will vary with
the style OF fence, The average IS a
strip Of land one-fourth Of a rod wide,
making for lOO-acre farm having 800
rods OF fence, waste of 200 square
rods, or / acres, and for the State,
Z0O,OoO acres, which, at $40 an acre,
make an investment in land occupied by
fences of 100000. Look at it as we
will, fencing is an expensive luxury, and
a little thought bestowed upon the sub
ject must make it apparent to every re-
ilecting farmer that the most important
question in regard to fencing is how to
get along with the least of it.
II fences must be built it pays to make
good ones, and withal as cheap As pos
sble. A poor fence, like a broken beam,
is a deception and u snare, having the
appearance of protection but without