The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-01-26
A. p. MILLER. Publisher.
FENCE REFORM.

FENCE REFORM.
A Little Lecture on What 10 Often an
Expensive Luxury.
In my trave.s through Ohio attend
ing the fairs during tho last few weeks
I have had an eye to the farms. crops
and stock to see what could learn
that would DO beneficial, says w: F.
Brown. in National StocEman. One
point which strikes me is that there
needs to be a fcnce reform. On most
farms fences are too plenty and of too
poor quality. There is no necessity of
fencing farms into ten-acro fields, and
this is still done in many localities. l
have for ten years past recommended
larger fields and fewer fences, and have
practiced the same on my farm. l
have but three fields and two small
pasture lots on my farm of ninety acres,
and do not wish any more.
One field is for permanent pasture,
and for this 1 have often chosen the
land least suited to the pillow and the
part of the farm supplied with water.
Then there are two fields which we use
tor wheat. oats, corn, potatoes, meadow
md clover, and wo get as good crops
from them with less damage to the soil
as we would if we tried to pasture them.
Our two small lots are near the build
ings, and are for pasture, ono for pigs,
and the other to turn a horse or the
COWS when we wish to do so.
A neighbor of mine who has fields
100 rods long by IS rods wide finds that
In blowing. narrowing and cultivatng
three days. work the long way accom-
plishes as much as four and a half tho
short way. Another neighbor with a
quarter section dispensed in the last
two years with one mile of fence, throw
ing the farm into four fields of s. to 81
acres each, leaving some Is acres for
convenient lots near tho barn. After
two years. test he tells me he would
not have the fences put back if done
FREQ of cost. Tho losses of time in
turning, of material in construction, of
keeping up repairs. and of the use of
land occupied by them, are heavy
self-imposed tax on many farms, and
In addition is the annoyance of keeping
them clear of weeds and briars, or the
farm is distigured and seeded by them.
A good fence to turn all kinds of stock
will cost not far from 81 rod, and
will need renewing several times in an
ordinary lifetime.
The farmer who can dispense with 4
mile OF fence and add by so doing twen-
ty-tive per cent to tho work his team
can do in a day, and at the same time
make the work easier for his team (for
turning is harder than walking), is GER
tainly doing a good thing for himself.
So advise tho abolishing of as many
fences as possible, and feel sure that
three-fourths of the farmers in many
localities need this advice.
Next, uso only good material in
fence-making. The cost of building is
usually twenty-five per cent Of the first
cost of board or wire fence, and it
makes great difference whether this
must be done every ten years or only
once in twenty years. Besides there is
more danger of stock becoming brcachy
and damaging crops when fences are
out of repair.
In keeping up fences it is the "stitch
in time that saves nine.'' There arc
always days through the year in which
the land cannot be worked. and these
should be taken advantage of to pass
along tho lines of fcnco and drive a
nail where needed or straighten up tho
post that is leaning. If fence must
remain long on the same land, begin in
time to keep down briers and sprouts.
Birds drop seeds of the berries and tree
seeds get scattered along the line of
fence. and it takes but little neglect to
start thicket; but if from the start you
20 over the fence. rows twice year it
is comparatively easy to keep them neat
and in good shape.
l am afraid of barbed wire where
horses must be turned, as I have known
many valuable horses killed or blem.
ished by it; but it is safe for cattle il
we'll made. l have also found plain
wire to turn cattle or horses when a
single strip of board is used with it near
tho top. In all wire-fence building the
thorough bracing of the end posts Is OF
first Importance. On small farms
which arc not we'll suited to corn grow
ing a great saving can be made by
fencing lot for the hogs and making
the other fences to turn horses and cat
tie only. Two boards and ono wire
will turn them and save at least TWEEN.
ty.tive per cent of the cost of the fence,
and on level land the. two boards alone
will answer if two burrows are plowed
on each side of the fence. and the earth
1hrown in ridge under tho fonce, for
this makes a ditch for the stock to step
in when they come near enough to the
fence to jump. and makes it next to i'm.
possible for them to jump the fence
This fence question deserves more
thought and study than most farmers
have given it.
The Wife Of a Russian Priest
There is only one happy woman in
Russia tho priests wife-and it is a
common mode of expression to saw.