The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-03-11

While the subject of fencing is one that
has been very favorably discussed, but few
realize its magnitude or the relation il bears
to the cause of agriculture from national or
general standpoint.
The amount of perishable fencing existing
now which will require replacing within the
next ten years is SO great IA to astonish those
who attempt to estimate il. We find in the
Indiana second annual report of the bureau of
statistics and geology, the following; The
total length of fences in Indiana. which is
under rather than over stated, would If ex-
tended reach over fourteen and one-half
times around the earth. The rail fence of
Allen County alone would reach nearly nine
times around the state.
If all this fence should be suddenly des-
troyed, no one would ever seriously think of
rebuilding il but would set about discover
ing cheap substitute"
The first biennial report of the State
Board of Agriculture of Kansas, shows the
! number of rods Of fence in that state to be
over 100000, which is less than one-eighth
of the amount in Ohio, New York and many
other of the United States The total amount
| Ohio being 15O,5S6,673 rods or 4S6,190
miles.
There are in the FIVE southern tiers of
counties in Michigan over 200, 1000 miles, and
enough in the county of Cass alone if extend
| ed, to reach across the American continent
and from the southern shore of Lake Nichi-
gan TO the Gulf of Mexico.
| Nearly all of these fences are composed of
perishable material and many Of them par
TALLY decayed and il is fair to presume that
within ten years, at least, one-half OF them
will have to be replaced.
| The ranidlv diminiahiuo suDnlias wauld
render the replacing of these fences with the
same material with which they are now built
an impossibility, and this fact, which is clear
ly evident, gives rise to the question ~ TO
what will prove the most profitable and salts
factory substitute.
II is quite evident that, in the near future,
farmers must resort to one of four conditions
namely, metal fences, stone fences, hedge
fences, or no fences at all, and az the latter
condition Is ut FIRST a very improbable one
the question seems 10 conhne itself TO the
three first named fences, and in reality 10
two of them, as stone in sufficient quantities
are only to be had in q few localities. We
speak of these conditions as thing of the
future and the near future; but as many
fences are now being made of posts and
boards, that should also be considered. II
ia generally conceded by those who have
made the matter study, that the snnua
cost of decay for post and board fences, is Of
a low estimate cents per rod each year
This IL arrived at on the basis of the cos
being one dollar per rod, and allowing il t.
last for 20years, which is considerably Longer
than the average life of board fences. This
IL is to be remembered, does not include th,
cost of repairs or rebuilding but simply tn,
, cost of decay.
Now, il is reasonable TO presume that tn,
price of fencing material will become create
as the supply diminishes, and that in few
years it will be cut off altogether, for care
full investigation shows that of the twenty
six states east of tho Rocky Mountains, onl,
, four, namely; Maine, Michigan, Wisconsin
and Minnesota, are at present capable of fur
nishing supplies beyond their own require
! ments. And il has been estimated by YER
, careful and competent figures, that our owl
2 state cannot possibly respond to the deman
: for more than or J years longer. And, a
has been the experience OF sll other coun