Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1917-04-21
BUILDING WIRE FENCES.
Fifty Per Cent Of Those In This coun-
try Are Improperly Constructed.


try Are Improperly Constructed.
Prepared by United States department OF
agricultural
The cost OF fencing is a considerable
item on every farm. In constructing
his fences therefore 1t will pay the
farmer to see that the work is well
done and that the full benent il obtain.
ed from the labor and material EN-.
ployed. 1t is no exaggeration to say
that 90 per cent Of the wire fences IL
use today are not properly constructed.
The ends and corners are by far the
most important elements Of fence
It is absolutely essential that they re-
main firm and solid If the fence is to
be rigid. Points to be borne in mind
when setting wooden end or corner
posts are: First, the posts used should
be large enough to give sufficient
strength; second, they should be SET
deep enough not to heave through the
action of frost. the end or corner post
being put into the ground to a depth
OF four and half feet and the brace
post four feet deep, and third. the
brace post should not be set so close
to the end post and at such an abrupt
incline that there is u tendency for Il
to force the end post out OF the ground
It Is generally considered that the two
posts should be set about ten feet
apart. which would require brace
twelve feet long. The brace is usually
inserted In a rnortise OH the end post,
twelve inches from the ground line.
Where steel posts are used the In
structions furnished by the manufac.
turers should be carefully followed.
Concrete end and corner posts should
be made Of good grade of concrete
and thoroughly REINFORCED. The re-
enforcement, which may be done with
scrap iron such as wagon tires. axles.
ETC., should be placed SO that the
strain caused by the pull of the fence
Will bear against 1t.
The distance that line posts should
be set apart depends on the location
OF the fence and the number and kinds
Of stock to be turned. In the field
tcntG Int SOmluOH pIdCllCC 10 " SCt
them approximately every twenty feet;
around barn lots and pens. posts are
set more closely together. Many farm
ers set posts one rod apart, which is |
convenient arrangement because ii |
supplies quick method for measur-
Ing portions Of the field. checking un
the amount Of work accomplished each
day, etc.
In woven wire fencing the necessary I
tools are woven wire stretcher.
single wire stretcher, for use In at
taching the fence to the end posts, g
pair of wire cutters. barbed wire
stretcher, splicing tool, and hammers
for stapling and fastening the fence,
Before the wire is stretched. the fence
row should be freed from distractions
and ridges and uneven surfaces should
be smoothed Off so that the fence win
be straight on the ground. The wire
should be securely fastened to one
Of the end posts and then unreeled.
fisAfter the wire is unrolled the stretch
ers are attached. leaving plenty OF
chain to draw up the slack In the wire.
The stretching should be continued un.
til the line wires are so taut that they
cannot be pressed together by hand
The fence should then he securely fac
tened to the corner toward which it Is
being stretched. The next step is tc
fasten the wire on the line posts. In
doing this the line wires should be kept
as nearly horizontal as possible and
should not zigzag up and down from
post to post. following small irregulari
ties in the ground line. The fabric
should not be fastened tightly to each
post, but the staples should permit hor
izontal movement of the wire This
will provide for the contraction and
expansion of the wire under varying
weather conditions and will also en-
able therentire fence line to bear part
Of the force of any blow that is de
livered against the fence.
The final step is to place strand
OF barbed wire about four inches above
the top OF the woven wire. so that the
stock will not be able TO get their heads
between the two. A woven wire fence
should not be considered complete
without this strand of barbed wire II
protects the woven wire by preventing
stock from reaching over and crowdine
1t down.