The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-12-01
GOOD FENCES ESSENTIAL
TO GOOD FARMING

(The Progressive Farmer.)
We do not believe that it is posi-
BILE to do really good farming on a
farm that is not fenced, and pre-
requisite in getting ready to do bet
ter work lies in getting the farm well
fenced. Good farming without
fences is impossible for several rea-
sons. In the first place, fenced
land, even in the woods, improves
rapidly because of the accumulation
of vegetable matter. This, of course,
may be largely due to the fact that
livestock is not allowed the free
range of it and that fire is kept off,
but the truth is that fenced wood
lands improve very fast.
Another and still more important
reason for fencing all the farm is
that no adequate rotation system;
with the necessary cover crops and
livestock, can be followed without
good fences. Two divisions, the
pasture and the cultivated fields,
should be made of every farm, and a
good, strong, hog-tight, horse high
fence should be put around each.
Then on most Southern farms the
cultivated area should be. subdivlded
into three fields of equal size, with
good fences between. Such a d.
vision admits of the use of rotations
and cover crops, without which rich
land and good farming are impossi-
bilities and, furthermore, makes it
possible to carry the hogs and cattle
that are necessary to convert other
wise waste products into meat, milk
and hutter.
As fences are more or less perma-
nent structures, much care should be
exercised in locating them. A
sketch or map of the farm, AS it is
to be when all plans are worked out,
should be carefully made, and all
fences, roads, pastures and rotation
plats placed strictly according to the
plan. Doing this will save much
future trouble and Inconvenience.
Local conditions must largely de-
termine the matter of selecting the
best and most economical fencing.
Where timber is abundant the old
style rail fence can undoubtedly be
built at less cost than any other; but
it has objections in its lack of dura--
bility, in the danger from fire, and
of the fact that it and the frequent
ly accompanying weeds and brlers
occupy land that ought to be making
crops. These objections are so Sc
rious that, unless it is simply lmpos-
sible, we would urge that wire be
used. -,
In building wire fence, wire with
a heavy coat of galvanizing will, be-
cause of its greater durability, gen
erally be most economical in the long
run. What kind of posts shall be
used. however, is a local problem, as
posts of the same quality are much
chearer in some sections than IN
others. In the long leaf pine belt
of the South, where fat pine posts
often may be had at from three TO
five cents each, these will doubtless
he the most economical to use. Far
ther north, where good posts are
much scarcer and higher--priced, con-
crete and steel may we'll be consider,
ed. AS an illustration, the. United
States Department of Agriculture
has found that red cedar posts on an
average cost twenty-nine cents each
and lasted on an average twenty
Years. while concrete posts costs
thirty cents each and lasted forty
eight years. , g
Here of course the advantage IS
preatly in favor of the concrete.