Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-07-06
FARMING MATTERS.
BUILDING a WIRE FENCE.
A Writer In Field and Farm Gives PructI-
cal Advice.

| a ssh'ssA 80 seAe "hu arm HiScb REHcti-
| cal Advice.
Great Improvement has been made in
the homemade fence within five years
pnst. Since the large galvanized wire
Is destined to be more durable than
most wooden posts. it is advisable TO
use posts of best quality only. We cut
posts seven and one-Quarter feet in
length. This allows the posts to be
set two and one-Quarter feet in the
ground, making ample height for Il
-FOUR and one-half-foot fence. The dis
tance between posts will depend upon
the kind OF fence they are to support.
the surfpce of the ground and kind Of
stock the fence Is intended to enclose.
rms summer we built II line seventy
r2ds long. in which the posts toward
the barnyard We're placed sixteen feet
apart and the distance was gradually
extended until they were thirty-threc
feet at the other end. The surface
was slightly rolling and no one would
notice the difference unless his attcn-
tion was directed TO 1t. The strain on
n renee Is the greater nearest the cor
rail-. There the animals collect and
there Is more or less crowding and rub
bling against the fence. However, it is
unwise TO have the posts very far
apart, unless the surface of the ground
is even. III low places 1t may be nee
essary TO anchor the fence posts by
mailing blocks at the lower end to pre-
vent them from drawing out when the
wires are stretched. II the line is very
long 1t Is necessary to brace the end
posts In n thorough manner. We use
large heavy posts and set them be-
tween three and four feet in the
ground. The posts next TO the ends
should also be of good size and set
deep enough not to loosen. Between
these posts fit the brace half way be-
tween the bottom and top and
parallel with the ground. We find
the horizontal brace is much more
easily fitted than the diagonal one and
is just rs effective. Pass No. o wire
around the end posts ut the ground and
the second post at the top and twist
INTO n cable If ranchman has much
fencing TO do it will pay to buy ton
OF No. wire. This size of wire runs
about one pound TO n rod. The top
most should be a barb wire and indc-
pendent of the others. The lowest
wire should be placed rs near the
ground rs Is practicable II the fence is
to exclude pigs. For other kinds of
stock fewer wires may be used. but
for pig-tight fence the lower wires
should not be wider than three inches
apart. This is necessary II the farmer
would be sure OF peace of mind when
his little pigs are OF the age when they
delight TO roam. The ratchet wire
tightencrs. one for each wire. are pow
erful enough to draw up the horizontal
wires until they hum. When buying
see that the castings are well made and
the ratchcts and catches fit snugly all
the way around. The styles OF cross
ftays and the devices for attaching
them are legion. \ wooden picket
painted and wired on does well where
Il fence Is not subject 10 the hardest
treatment. l would paint the picket.
else 1t will soon become brittle. The
stay l Ike best Is made of No. Z wire
lnroll bundle across the field and
keep IL stretched few days to
straiEhten. Then cut into right
lengths for stays. Attach to the upper
and lower wires by wrapping an end
around each with n twister. Then cut
piece of No. ii wire u little longer
than the stay. Roll II up for convent
cncc. Twist one end around the top
horizontal. then wrap 1t around the
wire next to the stay wire. pass 1t
tightly around the stay time or two.
then around the next horizontal WIRE
then both stay and horizontal wires Mt
their junction and continue In like
manner till the Sottom wire Is
reached and dispose of the lower end
of the small wire by twisting It around
this wire. The barb wire should he
put on after the fence Is built. To be
effective 1t must always be stretched
tight. In putting np woven wire
fence. like the Page. FOR instance. much
the same rules shorld he observed. The
end posts must he large. set deep. well
braced and anchored with cross pieces
spiked on or framed into the post near
the bottom and noorcd over. When
planted deep this prevents Its pulling
up or turning around. a stiT brace Is
then run from three iifths the height of
this post TO the ground line OF the sec
ond post: n No. . wire Is then drawn
from same height OF the second to the
ground line Of thr end post. Standing
on the front side Of the post. commence
Mt the left hand end post II possible.
the bottom one .ust above the ground
with the bars the proper distance
apart. bringing the ends well around
the posts. At this point care should
be taken that the horizontal wires are
80 attached to the post that when the
fence Is drawn. the cross wires Mt the
stnrting point will he exactly vertical.
and drawn taut else the wires will run
uncvcnly throughout the stretch.
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