The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-09-04
FARM, FIELD AND GARDEN.
OBSERVATIONS q aNlN1 EVERY
DAY MATTERS.

The -chararter Ane cs-s af Temporary
fencc--sisae F~see~ Lite Fenee- ot
vari.us shrubs sIae 0~see orange
u~a-e-The Pence sr tisr l'urnre-
The following comprehensive chapter
on fences. past. present and future, BY
the agricultural editor Of The World =
both interesting and instructive.
However much progress may oe made
hereafter in discarding fences altogether.
or in fencing stock in rathr rtiian IN fene-
inr the public out. there can oe no
slouls that the old tirpe fences have had
their dav and that Il present all indica-
tions point to metal as the chief consti-
tnent Of the farm fence of tie future.
The first fence 10 le built was the brush
fence. n the cheapest one possible As
The trees we're fellt.d for the clearing the
brush. too green to burn readily. WAS
piled around the cleared margin or upon
io.,s laid along as a foundation on which
the brush was placed This vast the rude.
primitive fence Of the first settlers OF
large portion Of the heavily wooded sec
tions Of this country. Then followed the
rail or worm fence. 50 called. which held
its sway alternately with the board fence
until from the dearness and scarcity Of
lumber both have quite generally given
way to other forms
II we except stone fences found only
IN localities where the surface Of the
Ground was encountered with the mate
rial. and constructed with the double
purpose Of removing obstructions from
the soil and inclosing the field. the fences
Of the country have been Of temporary
character, and each renewal has been
more costly than the preceding fence
THIS led 20 the experiment Of live fences
of various shrubs Among the most
common and popular IS the Usage orange
hedge. unauestiOnably the best for all
localities where it viii endure the win
ters. Under highly favorable conditions
It makes a rapid growth. and fence
that in a short time viii turn most farm
animals. either large or small
In the prairie states hedges Of willow
have had quite run, and the thorns
and honey locust have been extensively
used for the purpose in many sections OF
the country. Occasionally II has seemed
as though the live fence Of one or an
other of these shrubs was to be the pre-
vaiiing type. but time isas shown obJec-
tons 10 them which there was general
disposition to overlook in the apparent
success OF their first use. Against all
the hedges there is the serious objection
Of cost in keeping them in sublecticn,
Unless pruned frequently and severely
they run riot and become nuisaDces- In
some sections where they have been
highly popular for time they are fast
being superseded by the barbed wire
fence. the planting Of hedges being dis
continued and many old ones grubbed up.
Tie question has been asked, how will
il do TO plant trees II serve as posts Tor
the harbed wire fences, and again, are
not the bar5ed wires dangerous to ami
malss To this it may be answered that
where a row Of trees along a roadside or
on 4 division line between farms is unob-
icctionablc in itself. there is no reason
why the wires may not be fastened TO the
trees. which may continue to be used as
permanent posts II planted for the pur-
pose the quickly grown white willows or
cottonwoods are the ones 10 be selected
for most sections.
As regards injury 20 stock. the in
stances are comparatively few, and those
that occur can often be charged to care
lessness. Animals soon learn to have
respect for barbed wire fences without
having received any serious injury from
them. and to persons who dislike the
barbed form the bright twisted ribbon
wire is about as repelling and more
readily seen than the barbed wire. The
fact that in the state Of Iowa alone
lstated by a good authority there are
now 800 900 miles of barbed wire fence
is sufficient to show that but little, il
any. danger is apprehended from its use.
Again. il is believed that horses and cat
tie can sec a wire fence at a greater dis
tance than their owners can. either by
day or night.
The cheapness Of the wire and the ra-
pidity with which the fence can be put
in place are among its other recommend
ations 4 dilapidated wooden fence
may be made effective against all the
larger animals by stapling a single wire
along it on the exposed side 50 long Is
there is enough of it tstandins 10 hold the
wire. For those who want durability al
a somewhat increased expense. posts Of
iron are now made for the purpose
Three lines Of wire make a good subslan-
tiai fence against ali the principal farm
animals
The main posts should be strong and
firmly SCI To stand the stretching of the
wire. for whicl, stretchers can he bought
from those who deal in the wire. On
straight lines these main posts may be at
considerable distances apart: the inter
vening l'osts for holding up the wires
can he much lighter. but should also be
firmly set in the ground The spool Of
wire Is most conveniently carried 10y two
men with round iron rod through the
spool. the spool revolving on the rod.
The wires should be firmly stapled at the
intermediate as well as II the larger and
corner pests.