Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-08-09
CONSUMPTION OF FENCE POSTS

Inc difficulty of obtaining fence
posts at reasonable prices has given
an impetus scarcely realized to for
est planting IN the middle west. News
papers, farmers Institutes, women's
clubs, and boards of trade throughout
the region are pointing out the need
OF such material and dwelling on the
profit realized by the new men who
planted trees years ago and whose
plantations have been successful The
local supply of all forest products is
Insignificant, and timber, If not grown
at nome, must be imported. With the
continuous retreat of the resources of
supply under the attack of the vigor.
Gus demand, the length of the haul in
creases and the cost of transportation
rises higher and higher. Yet the fields
and pastures must be fenced. The
posts must be had. The annual pro-
duction of fence posts in the regular
logging camps of the country, as re-
ported by the last census, is 8,715.661.
How many times greater than this is
the annual cut from the home wood
lot no figures exist to show; but by
taking the number of farms and their
acreage and making a conservative
allowance for posts for the fences In.
closing each farm. it has been estimat-
cd that upward of 1,000,0 900 posts
are set each year. Such figures are to
vast to mean anything. Even the $1,000
600 posts of the census, a mere drop
in the bucket as compared with the
unreported production, would If set
10 feet apart, girdle the earth. or
would build solid pile SIS feet wide.
40 feet high, and mile long.
Durability and at least moderate
strength are the desirable qualitis
Tor fence posts. The use of species
which are not durable are expensive,
both on account of the more frequent
renewal which is necessary and be-
cause repairing is constantly called
for. Timber of the desired quality is
produced in the middle West by cardv
catalpa, black locust, and Usage
orange Catalpa makes an excellent
growth on deep, porous, fertile soil.
but only on such soil. Five or six
inch fence posts should be ready to
cut in about 10 wears. In regions I'M
mune' form the locust borer black
locust will yield satisfactory returns
from soil in which catalpa would
fail, and for this reason ii is adapted
to wide area where the rainfall is
light Under ordinary conditions To-
Gust should produce fence material in
Is years.
Usage orange also is not exacting
in it's soil requirements. 1t is being
extensively planted for hedges and
windbreaks, from which considerable
yield of fence posts may be obtained.
1t makes satisfactory growth on dry
20 years, Several other species such
as white willow, European larch, Rus
siarsmulberry and red cedar, are also
being grown with good results, but
none of them is better fitted to supply
fence posts than this first named.
The forest service fully recognizes
the importance of fence posts in farm
economy and the great demand for
suitable timber. Studies of the growth
and durability OF various species have
been cade and the limits of the COM
mercial planting range of each has
been hore closely defined Rapid
growing species which are not durable
have been studied to determine some
form of preservative treatment which
will increase their durability. Further
work along this line will undoubtedly
add largely to the list of species which
can furnish the desired product.