Year: 1871

In considering the important question of
fences, farmers and agricultural writers are
often led to take but a superficial view of it.
Fences we must have. 1t is useless to say
that in this or that township the inhabitants
have voted to abolish all fences; that in Vine
land, Wheatland, or Cornville there is not
fence to be seen and so much money is saved
to the public. This may do in places where
one never sees drove of sheep or cattle on
the highways; but in localities where, during
the season. farmer sees dozen droyes pass
bis farm daily, fences must be a necessity
His fields must be protected from the road, at
least. Inside fences, we admit, may be abol-
lshed; to morrow, il the will is ready to do it.
Ihen, or what must our outside fences he
NADER Necessity calls for something cheap.
ms includes all good qualities. To be cheap,
IL must De not necessarily of the smallest
orgnal cost; but it must be moderate i'm cost.
easily erected, permanent, and durable in
quahty. Hedges are generally too costly for
Tue ordinary farmer, inasmuch as they must
oe projected for term of years by substan
tial renee, aud occupy belt of land which
might produce crops; and even with the best
Oh care they become ineffectCal in time
Wire fences have the objection that they are
dangerous TO cattle unused to them, and if
made SO close and high as to be really usAful,
are costly. Then we come to wooden fences.
And here we believe we must stay. But we
arc met with the objection, "Where is the
timber to be obtained?" This is readily re-
moved. The timber must be grown. In Eu-
rope, where timber is scarce, and has been
for centuries grown for daily use, the fences
are, in great measure, of wood. Hedges ale
OF course very common, but the thorn of
(which they are formed will not stand our eli
mate sufficiently well to become permanent,
useful fence. And even there the thorn
hedge is kept up only by constant attention
and labor, which would rarely be given on an
American farm on account of the expense
We know OF no cheaper or more substantial
fence than one of posts and rails. Three
rails are sufficient to turn sheep or cat.
tie, and any animal that goes over
such teEce should become material for the
butcher. Much land may be found anywhere
that will bring in better revenue planted in
fence timber than in any other manner Poor
pastures or wet and rocky lots might be plant
ed with such quick-growing timber as chest
nuts, basswoods, Norway spruce. or European
larch. Selections from such timber or other
species may be made which will suit any soil,
whether wet or dry, stony or smooth. A few
years only will elapse before valuable crop
may be gathered, and we are certain that five
acles SO planted and well tended will keep in
repair continually the outside fences of two
hundred acres. A post and.rail fence will oc-
cupy but small strip OF land. The plow
may be run within a foot of the post. A
hedge, or the present announcement rail fence,
with its spreading stakes, occupies a large
breadth OF land totally lost TO cultivation.
The proceeds OF such land, now lost, would in
lew years repay the cost of the fence, and
would certainly continue to keep it in repair.
Where there are so many points TO be con-
sidered as in this question of fencing, it is
well to give them all hearing before d-cid-
ing on any settled course. But it Is evident
that the time tor consideration with many OF
us is passing, and We are even now casting
abou, for materials wherewith to replace our
dilapidated fences.