Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-12-18
The Fence Post Problem.

The que tion of fence posts is one
ever present upon a farm ana whether
the solution Hes in the substitution of
steel or cement posts for wood will
depend greatly upon the comparative
cost of each. In a recent issue of the
Prairie Farmer a contributor offers the
following suggestions.
"A good deal of interest Is now be-
ing manifested in the subject of fence
posts, and especially concerning the
lasting properties of the Usage orange
fence post in comparison with other
kinds Of timber 1t is the most lasting
Of all kinds ! have ever tried. | have
never had any red cedar so | say moth
ing concerning it, Before we had the
hedge the mulberry was the most last
ing timber we could get l have known
1t TO last in fence for thirty or more
years. but this was beyond the general
average. White oak lasts about six
or eight years. burr oak nine or ten
years, black oak five or six years, cof-
feenut ten or twelve years, and the
black locust six or eight years There
are two hedge posts on my farm. the
largest one not more than three inches,
IN diameter. which stand today as firm
as they were when planted in 1875.
About four or five years ago | took up
a line of posts of the same material
set In 1878 and the sap part of the
posts was not fully decayad, so there
the hedge as posts One two inches
in diameter will outlast any other kind
here in this sandy land unless it be
an extra mulberry, and 1 even doubt
that this Will excel the hedge. Now as
for the raising of these posts, let the
hedge be planted the same as for
fence. Grow 1t one or two years and
cultivate 1t as drilled corn The first
spring after planting cut the row down
to the ground. Cultivate 1t that year
and then it will take care of Itself.
Plant the rows about four or six feet
apart. After the second year there will
be no need of cultivation, and you
could not get a team to do 1t IL you
We're to try, for the thorns would not
permit the team to do it. This thicket
will grow up as straight as The crooked
growth will ever get. for 1t is
crooked growing timber. AS a sample
an engineer on one of the steamers on
war tried for half an hour to make a
cord stick of 1t lie still. but could not.
He then gave 1T as his opinion that
1t would make such crooked steam that
1t would turn the boilers inside out. 1t
is, however. a rare case that there is
not one straight side TO every post. The
author OF that article said they ought
to be planted ten or twelve feet apart,
also that sixteen feet would be better.
the ground and but few posts would
be obtained. Take these hedge ROWS in
twelve or fifteen years and each one
quarter of Il mile long, would give from
!, 200 TO 1000 posts. besides a large
quantity of wood that ought to be cut
while green, for few axes will stand
eutting 1t when dry. 1t Will sprout and
IN a few years Will give another crop
lf posts. Hence an acre VIII furnish
/ good many posts and if planted on
he west side of the orchard Will fur
lish one of the best wind breaks ana
De a successful protection from our
northwest winds, and at the same time
De useful for posts and wood. have
hedge some sixty rods long, good for
1t least 1000 posts, and good pro-
ection to my orchard and buildings.
Such seems to be the only true source
If our future supply of fence posts.
The plants can be obtained by the
thousand here for small sum. and
tbout 1850 will be sufficient TO plant
i row one fourth of a mile long.