The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1910-09-17
THE FENCE POSTS OF IOWA.

Washington, September IA, 1910
The u. s. Department of Agriculture
estimates that the farmers OF the
single State Of Iowa use every year
81, 400, 900 worth Of new fence posts,
which cost the equivalent o: 100000
for setting them in the ground. Fur
Their, the Department officials be
Heve that a part Of this expenditure
might be saved.
The opportunity for economy is
found, first, in using the kinds Of
posts which, taking into account bo:h
cost and durability, are cheapest in
the long run, and, secondly, by treat
ing the posts to prevent decay, parti-
cu1arly those which decay most
quickly. When a farmer sets a pos
which viii have a comparatively
short life, he loses not only through
having to buy q new post, but also
because Of the additional labor in
volved in setting 1t. It Is true that
in both cases no money outlay may
be involved, for he may set the posts
himself. after getting them from bis
own woodlot OF the posts used last
year in Iowa, seventy per cent, 1t is
estimated, were grown on the farms
where they were used, or were OBJ
tanned than other farms or woodlot
owners, and only thirty per cent
were bought from lumber dealers.
Nevertheless, the farmer is out his
labor and the part Of the product OF
his woodlot which is used up, even
though he does not pay out any cash.
The facts concerning the use OF
fence posts In Iowa were brought out
by an investigation which the Depart
ment of Agriculture has been making
through inquiries sent to farmers,
Several thousand replies have been
used in compiling the figures, which,
combined with statistics issued by the
Iowa State Board of Agriculture a.
stated to be fourteen years and the
acreage, furnished the totals. Ac-
cording to these totals about 10000
600 posts are called for yearly to build
and repair fences on 209,163 farms.
Of an average size Of 1881 acres
each.
The average life Of q fence post Is
stated to be fourteen years and the
average cost 1877 cents. There is.
however, great difference in the last
ing properties Of different woods.
Usage orange lasts more than five
times as long as willow does, and
for length OF service it heads the list
o. post tfmbers in the State. The
comparative life Of other posts Is
shown in the following list, ranging
from the longest period to the short
est: Red cedar. locust, white oak
northern white cedar Tor arborvitae).
catalpa, black walnut, butternut, red
oak, and willow.
The average cost Of posts varies
for different woods, and for the same
woods in different localities. Red sc
da- IS most expensive. at an average
OF 2e "a cents each, and willow the
cheapest, at 6 cents
Taking into consideration the time
a post vm last. and the cost Of buy
ing ii and setting it in the ground.
the conclusion must be drawn that
the Usage orange post is the most
economical IN Iowa, followed BY
white oak, locust. eAtalpa. red &c
Oar. black walnut. butternut, willow.
white cedar. ana red oak. IN the or
der named.
Comparatively Few posts Of some
q these woods are used. cataipa
ana bustsrnut together do rot const-
tuts one Per cent while white oak
exceeds forty per cent From white
oak, the highest. TIE numbers USED