Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-05-04
KEEPING UP FENCES.
Some Hints on How 70 Curtau . Steadily
Growing Farm Expense.


farmer is that involved in the building
and maintaining of fences. Formerly,
when timber was plenty, and fence
building was merely q matter Of labor,
the expense Of keeping up long strings
OF useless fence was not considered,
for while the average farmer is eco
nomical in the expenditure OF money,
he knows and thinks little OF the econ
omy of labor Now, however. the time
has come when fences cost money as
we'll as work. Material is scarce and
valuable, and every year 1t becomes
more so. 1t is time for US to begin to
consider the cost OF fences, and adopt
some means to curtail It
In the first place, would suggest
thatto begin the reduction Of this item
OF expense It would be we'll to curtail
the amount Of fencing every farmer
keeps up No doubt every man thinks
he has only such fences as are abso-
lutely necessary 70 the successful car.
rying on Of his business; but believe
that by little study he could devise
plans whereby a very material cutting
of might be practiced, and still re.
suit in not a particle Of Inconvenience
to him.
know farms that are crossed and
checkered over with long strings Of
fence that every year require an enor-
nous outlay OF money and labor, and
are of no benefit whatever to the owner.
They are. IN fact nuisances, incum-
brances and an aggravation.
To my mind nothing detracts more
from the farm than the practice some
men have Of dividing and subdividing
by means Of cross fences into lots
nd patches. 1t gives the farm a mar
row, scrimped appearance, and some
now impresses one with the idea Of
closeness On the other hand. the
arm, with its fields and pastures, seems
to have an air OF freedom and liberality
that is enticing and pleasant
But to the practical side Of the ques-
ton. The less fence one has the bet
ter It is better because it reduces the
expense Of keeping them up, and it is
better because considerable amount
Of tillable land Is saved for producing
purposes rather than taken up with
weeds and brush that too often flourish
along the fence rows 1t Is better be-
;ause your fields are larger and the per
cent. of waste land lying around the
outer edge Of every cultivated spot is
materially reduced.
My idea OF farm is something like
this: I would decide on what proportion
of my acres | wished to cultivate in
cereals, what proportion wished to
SOW in meadow, and what proportion
wished to use as pasture. Then
would divide my land as nearly as pos
sible according to its adaptation tC
these crops, and so arrange 1t that II
would lie as nearly as possible accord
ing to its adaptation to these crops,
and so arrange 1t that it would lie as
nearly as possible in regular squares.
In this way would secure the best ap-
pearancc, and give to my farm broad,
healthy look, and, with two or three
lines OF straight cross-fence, supplani
the many zig-zag fences that are toe
often seen winding about over a farm,
cutting the few acres up into patches
and narrow strips.
1t depends great deal on the loCa'
tion of the house as to the amount o.
fence one can get along with on the
farm. If possible. the house should be
so situated that the pasture land will
lie adjacent, and thus do away with the
necessity Of lane leading back pas
the fields and meadows, to the pasture
on the remote part OF the farm
Every farmer should lay out his farm
systematically, and, with little cart
and study. he can easily form planI
whereby a large amount Of fencing car
be saved. Indeed, there are few farmeri
who could not, by proper consideration
OF the subject, soon arrive at means By
which large per cent. Of the fences
they now have could be done away with
and their own convenience greatly en-
hanced thereby. There are not many
farms free from the curse Of too mucl
fencing, and the sooner this annoying
surplus is done away with the better.
Mar your farm with just as little fenc
ing as possible. Do away with patche
and scraps, and in every possible cas-,
throw your acres together Save tn
expense Of keeping up fences, and. a
the same time, add to the value OF you
farm by enhancing its beauty and con
venience, and by turning the fence row
to producing purposes Thomas P
Montfort, in Prairie Farmer.