The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-10-15
The Giles County Association of Farmers
on the Fence Question.

on the Fence Question.
The association gave very time
Iy consideration to this question at
its last monthly meeting. 1t is in
fact demanding consideration in
every part of our state. Every far
mer who reads the papers and VINO
is on the lookout for something OF
practical value to himself must be
strongly impressed with the promi-
nence now given to this question.
1t is becoming an important one to
the farmers of our county, particu-
larly in view of the rapid consump-
tion of the most valuable timber of
our forests.
Every practical and progressive
farmer who gives intelligent thought
to the situation will readily see the
urgeLt need of prompt action in the
premises; and, indeed, this necessi-
ty is forcing itself upon the atten-
tion of even the most Indifferent.
As is now often urged, there is
pressing need of the most intelli-
gent farming and the wisest econo-
my in farm management, and this
applies as well to the construction
and repairing of fences as to the
cultivation of crops, management
of stock, or any thing else, and in
no direction is there greatsr need of
wise forethought. How shall we
meet the coming dearth of material?
is a pressing, practical question.
The plank fence is a thing of the
past and was always expensive.
The old worm fence, an f. f. V.
relic, must go. Its doom is written
in our rifed forests; besides neat
farming, economy and necessity de-
manded it. The stake and wire
fence is more comely and economi-
cal, but the white oak, the chief
source of stake supply, is being rap
idly consumed; and besides, the
stake is at best shortlived, and the
oak should be preserved for more
valuable uses. The chestnut, the
cheapest material now, is sharing
the tate of the oak, the poplar, the
walnut and the cedar, and will soon
be scarce and costly, aud a new
crop will be largely impossible so
long as forest fires are of yearly oc-
currence and so little responsibility
attaches to their existence.
The rock fence even at the pres
ent low cost of building is too cost
ly for general use, though when
properly constructed and cared for
its durability is largely to its credit.
The hedge fence, when properly
cared for, is durable and comedy
and but little more costly than the
chestnut or wire fence, but is
scarcely suitable for a general pur-
pose fence. 1t remains to refer to
the barbed wire, which we regard
as the coming fence of the state, be-
cause it is cheap, economical, sim
pie in its construction and durable,
and because every farmer may read
lily grow his own posts. In this
way all waste spots may be utilized.
OF the general variety of durable
timber, the black locust is prefera-
BILE, because it is hardy, rapid in its
growth, enriches the soil and makes
q home for itself even amongst gull
lies. These reasons commend it
even to the farmer who has an album
dance of timber. 1t is absolutely
the only profitable use to which
these waste places can be put, and
when we take into consideration the
many valuable uses of the locust, it
is the wisest economy to have a
grove of it. 1t will soon become an
important part of every farmers an
nual work to plant trees. The pre-
servation of our soil, our health,
successful farming, the identifying
of our farms, will all demand il.
The ease with which the farmer
may provide himself with posts
makes the barbed wire the cheapest
fence and it should be substituted
for the common fence as soon as
possible, since it is very important
that the timber that We
should n" now have
- preserved for other uses
| to which the wire fence mate
rial is not adapted. We dwell upon
the Importance of planting locusts